Author(s) :

Maryam Yusuf Zubairu.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Despite hosting one of the highest concentrations of military formations in Nigeria, Kaduna State continues to record some of the country's most persistent levels of banditry, raising pressing questions about the effectiveness of existing kinetic and non-kinetic responses. This study examines the application and effectiveness of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to banditry in Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas of Kaduna State between 2010 and 2023, and compares how the two approaches have played out across the two contiguous but historically distinct LGAs. Anchored on Social Conflict Theory, the study adopted a concurrent mixed-methods design, drawing quantitative data from structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents (366 valid returns) and qualitative data from 20 semi-structured interviews with traditional rulers, security personnel, religious leaders, NGO representatives, and community leaders. Findings show that kinetic measures, though widely deployed and moderately effective in suppressing immediate attacks, are undermined by underfunding, poor inter-agency coordination, and informant infiltration, while non-kinetic measures, though rated more favourably by respondents (54.1 percent describing them as very effective, against 36.1 percent for kinetic measures), remain inconsistently funded and applied. Poverty, unemployment, weak governance, and identity-based grievances emerged as the dominant drivers of banditry, with banditry in Kajuru skewing more ethnically and politically motivated and banditry in Kachia skewing more economically motivated. Over 70 percent of respondents endorsed a hybrid model combining both approaches as the most viable pathway to sustainable peace. The study recommends the formal, coordinated integration of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies through joint LGA-level security committees, sustained funding, trust-building mechanisms between communities and security agencies, and context-sensitive capacity-building for stakeholders in both LGAs. Keywords: banditry; kinetic approach; non-kinetic approach; Kaduna State; Social Conflict Theory; security governance  

No. of Downloads :

0