Cattle Rustling and Banditry: Impact on Education Enrolment & Completion in Zammfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

In recent time, cattle rustling and banditry has been a veritable threat to public safety and security in north-west-Nigeria, Zamfara State inclusive. In this state, the activity has led to closure of schools and learner's displacement, loss of lives, human injury, population displacements, as well as loss of cattle in their numbers. This scenario goes with repercussions that do not portend well for the collective wellbeing of farmers and herding communities. It was in line with this development that, this paper examined Brief history and genesis of cattle rustling and banditry in Zamfara state which was found to be associated with the recent developments which tend to have implicated cattle rustling in the rising wave of violence in northern Nigeria, as exemplified in the phenomenon of Boko Haram insurgency and herder/farmer conflicts. In the same vein, the paper identified causes of cattle rustling, which include lack of sensitization of people to apply land use act of 1978; Claim for scarce resources ownership position of land; Lack of grazing reserves and delineated stock routes for Fulani herdsmen; Furthermore, some specific impacts were enumerated and these were: killing of hundreds of innocent people of Zamfara (Male, Female, Boys and Girls) over the years ; Impacted negatively on the mining and solid minerals opportunities in the state; Additionally, the paper highlighted effort put in place to curtailed the activities as thus: Released all cows and sheep's in the possession of herders to state governments; State Governor gave additional 47 Hilux for security & surveillance patrol in 14 local governments.; A quick response tack- force of security personal were deployed at strategic place; Re-conciliation committee was constituted to check the activity: Commissioner of police conducted tour and sensitized populace on the implication of taking laws in ones hand. Lastly, conclusion and recommendations were made.