National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has warned that military operations alone cannot bring an end to banditry and terrorism in Nigeria, calling for stronger intelligence-sharing, tighter border controls, community participation and sustained action against the supply of illicit weapons to criminal groups.
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Ribadu said the nature of banditry had changed substantially, moving beyond cattle rustling, highway robbery and kidnapping to include attempts by armed groups to control territory, impose illegal taxes on rural communities, disrupt farming and commerce and exploit vulnerable young people for recruitment.
He spoke on Saturday through the Director of Legal Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Usman Mijinyawa, at a brainstorming session on insecurity organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Ribadu identified Sokoto State’s proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel as an important dimension of the security challenge, saying criminal networks were taking advantage of porous borders and gaps in security coverage to move people, weapons and other logistical supplies.
“Sokoto’s proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel adds a significant cross-border dimension to this challenge,” he said.
He consequently called for a combination of intelligence-led operations, effective border management, regional security cooperation and sustained efforts to disrupt the flow of illicit weapons and logistical support to armed groups.
The NSA said the Federal Government was pursuing a wider security strategy that combines military pressure with intelligence gathering, law enforcement, border surveillance and stronger coordination among security agencies.
He identified Operation FANSAN YAMMA as an important platform for coordinating security operations across the North-West, while the National Crisis Management Doctrine was being used to promote a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response to security threats.
Ribadu also disclosed that more than 19,000 illicit weapons had been destroyed since 2022 as part of efforts to reduce the supply of firearms available to terrorists, bandits and other criminal networks.
He stressed, however, that security operations would have limited long-term effect unless authorities also addressed the social and economic conditions that make young people susceptible to recruitment by armed groups.
According to him, protecting livelihoods, improving access to education and employment opportunities and strengthening communities were necessary components of any sustainable strategy against insecurity.
Ribadu supported lawful rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for eligible persons willing to renounce violence but warned that such initiatives must not become a substitute for accountability.
“Reintegration must never replace justice or reward violence,” he said.
He outlined five areas requiring particular attention in Sokoto: denying armed groups safe havens, strengthening intelligence and early-warning systems, rebuilding trust between communities and security agencies, protecting agriculture and rural livelihoods, and preventing the recruitment of young people into criminal networks.
The NSA specifically identified Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza and Goronyo as areas where stronger early-warning systems were needed so that information about suspicious movements and emerging threats could reach security agencies quickly enough for preventive action.
He said intelligence-sharing would work more effectively where residents trusted security agencies to act promptly on information provided and to protect the identities and safety of informants.
Ribadu also drew attention to the wider consequences of prolonged insecurity, saying the impact could not be measured only by the number of people killed or abducted.
Persistent attacks, he said, were disrupting agriculture and trade, forcing families from their communities, interrupting children’s education and worsening economic hardship.
He therefore argued that the success of security operations should not be judged solely by arrests, weapons recovered or territories cleared by security forces.
“Success must also mean safer communities, returning families, productive farms, reopened schools, functioning markets and the restoration of public confidence,” Ribadu said.
The Sokoto Advancement Forum said insecurity had affected 21 of the state’s 23 local government areas, while more than 1,100 people were reportedly kidnapped in the state during the 12 months leading up to June 2026. The figures were presented by the forum as evidence of the scale of the challenge confronting communities.
Ribadu urged stakeholders to translate discussions at the meeting into practical security arrangements, stressing that lasting peace would require collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, traditional leaders and local communities rather than reliance on force alone.
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