ARMED BANDITRY ACTIVITIES AND FOOD INSECURITY IN GWER-WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE

The study examined the armed banditry and food security in Gwer-west local government area of Benue State. Survey research design was used for the study. Primary and secondary sources of data collection were used for the study. The study adopted the frustration aggression theory as propounded by John Dollard, Neal Miller, Leonard Doob, Orval Mowrer and Robert Sears in 1939 and further developed by Neal Miller in 1941 and Leonard Berkowitz in 1961. The theory postulates that youths are easily frustrated by inconsistent political leaders' lifestyles and promises. Jobless, uneducated and poverty-stricken youths with no hope become easy prey to be mobilized as terrorist groups (armed bandits). The findings of the study revealed that in Gwer-west various forms of insecurity such as insurgency and banditry have negative impacts on food production in the LGA. This attack portends danger to food security as many farmers are very scared to go to their farms to engage in irrigation farming among other food producing activities. The impacts mean that there is reduction in the number of farmers due to killings, impoverishment due to kidnappings, farmers not willing to go to their farmlands as they will be chased out, cattle rearing becoming difficult, reduction in quantity of crops stored in grain silos, risks of attacks when farmers visit markets and dependence on food from IDP camps. The study concludes that the efforts made by government and local authorities towards curbing banditry in Gwer-west LGA are not satisfactory.