According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) not less than 13,485 lives of defenceless Nigerians were wantonly wasted by the brazen bravado of freely moving bandits in the North-Western geo-political zone of the country, between 2010 and May 19, 2023. Such terrifying, yet true-life tales of the frightening figures recorded run against the grains of having governments-at the federal, state and local levels-in place.

In fact, it also blatantly violates the distilled essence of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which recognises and protects the rights to life of all human beings. That rhymes in sync with the United Nations Human Rights Charter of 1948 considered as supreme. That is without degrading treatment or punishment for no just cause.

And it is in tandem with Section 14 Sub-section (2) (b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended which spells the indisputable significance of the primary function of government as that of guaranteeing the full protection of human life of every citizen under its watch.

But worsening the scandalous scale of the killings in the North-Western states such as Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and of course, Zamfara, which has gained notoriety as the hunting hub for bandits, is the allegation of financial sponsorship by some political helmsmen.

That has come between a former governorship candidate for Zamfara State, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi and the incumbent governor, Dauda Lawal. The former is of the opinion that Bello Matawalle, who incidentally happens to be the current Minister of State for Defence under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, is doing a good job in the war against banditry. He should therefore, not be distracted by Lawal’s alleged antics in dragging his image to the mud.

Indeed, a lot of heat has been generated ever since the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Tinubu gave a presidential directive to the military top shots to relocate to the bandit-ridden region and dig deeper into the root causes of the kidnapping and killing spree going on there, such that farmers have to pay some levies to access their farmlands.

While Shinkafi insists that the president’s directive is a “welcome development and long overdue in the quest for sustainable peace, security and development in the region”, on the other hand, Lawal has gone further to allege that Matawalle while the governor sheltered some bandits right there in Government House!

All those found culpable, as financiers and suppliers of arms and ammunition to the bandits must be brought to face the full wrath of the law…

But if you consider that outrageous, re-think the response from Matawalle. He recently stated on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme that: “It was not only I who dialogued with bandits. All other governors did. Why single me out? Is it because it is Zamfara? It is a complex state with terrible individuals and devilish ideas!”

Furthermore, Matawalle has fingered both his successor, Lawal and Gen. Aliyu Gusau as complicit in the nefarious, blood-letting activities of the bandits. Juxtaposing the accusations and counteraccusations over the sponsorship, or not of banditry in Zamfara State it is crystal clear that the sanctity of precious human life has since been compromised on the altar of political persuasion and sentiments.

Yet, the culture of impunity reigns on and the lives of more innocent citizens have become vulnerable to the bandits and whoever their sponsors might be.

For instance, only recently fully armed bandits attacked the Jariboka community where Matawalle hails from, killing two people and abducting 40 others, mainly women and children. For how long would this horrible ogre of lifewasting criminality continue? That is the burning question. To quench it, justice must be served. At this point we cannot but commend the political will muscled and deployed by the presidential directive that has so far led to the deaths of some notorious bandits.

These include Kachalla Sububu, Jamilu Kazakilu,Sani Black, Danbaleri Mashekari and Wala Baburki. But more sustainable steps must be taken to finally cripple and crush the activities of the bandits. All those found culpable, as financiers and suppliers of arms and ammunition to the bandits must be brought to face the full wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed such people might be. Secondly, the issue must not be politicised.

In fact, President Tinubu should go the whole hog to do away with the spurious and dehumanising policy of granting some obnoxious ‘amnesty’ to all manners of criminals, be they Boko Haram terrorists, kidnappers or bandits.

Granting any form of reprieve or forgiveness to those who take obscene delight in wasting the irreplaceable lives of fellow human beings ridicules the right to life of their helpless and voiceless victims.

And it clearly violates the rights to life as guaranteed by the United Nations Organisation (UNO), the African Union (AU) and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. No one’s right to life should be placed above that of other fellow citizens.

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