A former Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), has expressed deep concern over the worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria, warning that bandits and insurgents have now established control over several communities where they not only collect taxes but also make laws governing residents.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, Dambazau lamented that the situation has degenerated beyond sporadic attacks into what he described as “parallel authority,” where armed groups dictate how people live and work in parts of the North-West and North-East.
“We now have communities in our region living under the control of criminals. These bandits and insurgents tax them, make laws for them, and decide who farms, who trades, and who moves in or out. It’s no longer just about insecurity; it’s about loss of state authority,” Dambazau warned.
The retired General, who also served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, said the development reflects the collapse of effective governance in rural areas, as security forces struggle to maintain presence in remote regions. He called for urgent and coordinated efforts by both federal and state governments to reclaim occupied territories and restore confidence among citizens.
Recent findings by Daily Trust and independent security researchers confirm Dambazau’s assertion. Reports from Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and parts of Niger and Kaduna States reveal that bandits have imposed “levies” on farmers, ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦20,000 per household before they are allowed to cultivate their lands. In some areas, the bandits demand a portion of harvested crops as “tax” or charge payments for access to roads linking villages to markets.
A study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime found that since 2022, these armed groups have shifted from pure banditry to a form of criminal governance—extorting communities, adjudicating disputes, and enforcing their own laws through violence. The study described the situation as “a shadow state within a state.”
In Zamfara State, for example, entire communities have fled their homes following new threats by bandits who ordered residents to pay levies before harvesting their crops. Farmers who refused were reportedly barred from entering their farms or had their produce seized. Similar reports have emerged from Sokoto and Katsina, where residents live under constant fear of reprisal.
Dambazau warned that if left unchecked, this parallel system of rule could undermine national sovereignty and weaken public trust in government institutions. He urged security agencies to adopt an integrated approach combining military operations with civil administration, community dialogue, and the revival of local policing.
“The battle is no longer just about guns. It’s about restoring governance. Wherever the government withdraws, non-state actors will fill the vacuum,” he added.
The former minister also called for intelligence-driven operations and stronger collaboration among regional governments to dismantle criminal networks and restore law and order.
Observers say Dambazau’s remarks echo growing concerns across the region, where banditry and insurgency have crippled agriculture, displaced thousands, and worsened food insecurity. Experts warn that unless the state reasserts control soon, more rural populations will fall under the authority of criminal actors who now act as the de facto rulers of Nigeria’s forgotten hinterlands.