The Effects of Armed Banditry and Survival Strategies of Victims in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Armed banditry remains a major security challenge in Northern Nigeria. The phenomenon disproportionately affects the northern States and Sokoto State is one of the hotbeds of the armed banditry hosting numerous bandit groups. This paper examines the multidimensional effects of armed banditry among victims and strategies employed by the victims to survive in Sabon Birni LGA, Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on the resilience theory. Data were collected from 380 respondents selected though multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Findings from the study revealed that armed bandits have dismantled the agrarian economy, disproportionately affecting women’s access to land and markets, while deepening the cycle of poverty that fuels further unrest. Social, economics and health aspects of the communities were adversely affected by the increasing spate of banditry in the State. The study concluded that armed banditry in Sabon Birni LGA constitutes a complex challenge that deepens hardship and and further complicates the existing poverty profile of the State. The study recommends that sustainable peace in Sabon Birni LGA requires a strategy that moves beyond military force to include gender-sensitive economic empowerment and community-based psychosocial support.