THE EFFECT OF ARM BANDITRY ON AGRICULTURE IN BAUCHI STATE: STUDY OF TORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN BAUCHI SOUTH

This research work assesses the effect of arm banditry on agriculture in Bauchi State: study of Toro Local Government in Bauchi South. Banditry ravages Bauchi State, farmers, especially in rural communities of Toro Local Government, are fleeing their farms. Cattle rustling used to be the predominant crime in rural Toro, but now kidnapping has taken the centre stage and disrupted farming activities. Many farmers are either kidnapped for ransom or killed on their farms. Many abandoned their farms because of incessant attacks by bandits on their communities. In some parts of the Bauchi south, farming has been made pointless by the unrealistic levies imposed on farmers by the bandits. Against this, the study found out the effect the effect of Banditry of arm banditry on agriculture, determined the nature of Banditry, found out the causes of banditry as well as analyzed the effort of Bauchi State Government in curbing Banditry. Routine Activity theory was used to guide the research assumptions. The study was based on quantitative method in which 383 respondents were selected out of the total population of Toro Local government. The study found that the resultant effects of scarce resources, unemployment, poverty, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, fight overland, mishandling of banditry cases, negligence by both the federal, state and local government, destruction/domination of Fulani ranches by industrialization, urbanization and farming activities as well as inter-tribal rivalry between Fulani herdsmen and other ethnic groups are the major causes of banditry in Toro, Bauchi State. Thus, the study recommended that government at all levels, as a matter of necessity, should ensure the provision of adequate security to all nooks and crannies of the state to secure people’s lives and property. More security personnel (police, army, civil defense, etc.) should be recruited, equipped and reinvigorated by strengthening their capacity to combat security challenges in any area in the state. Security issues should not be treated on ad-hoc basis; rather the operatives should be more pro-active, efficient and effective in intelligence gathering.