Banditry has become Nigeria’s open wound, bleeding communities across the North. On this issue, Kaduna State finds itself torn between two philosophies: El-Rufai’s iron fist and Uba Sani’s softer touch.
The former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, recently declared on national television that “the only repentant bandit is a dead one.” To him, non-kinetic approaches are “nonsense.” He believes in bombing, wiping out, and showing no mercy.
His successor, Uba Sani, disagrees. At a recent book presentation, he argued that firearms alone will never end insecurity. Poverty, unemployment, and neglect of rural communities are the true roots of banditry.
Both men have a point. But here lies the danger: reducing the debate to politics while villages continue to burn. The truth is, Nigeria needs a mix of both approaches. Guns may stop immediate violence, but without jobs, schools, and healthcare, the cycle of banditry will keep producing new recruits.
For Kaduna, and indeed Nigeria, the question remains: do we bomb our way to peace or build our way to it? History suggests the latter has longer-lasting results.
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