Banditry’s Toll On Tomorrow: Exploring the Consequences on Youth in Northwest Nigeria

Abstract

In recent years, the northwest region of Nigeria has experienced a surge in banditry activities, leading to profound repercussions on local communities. This paper aims at examining banditry’s toll on tomorrow, with a focus on the consequences on the youth in northwest Nigeria. The method adopted for this research is the qualitative method of investigation which tends to emphasize the description, meaning, and understanding of the phenomenon being studied. It relies on questioning and observation in the effort to discover or generate a profound understanding of the phenomenon or situation under investigation. This qualitative research uses a paradigm interpretive approach (naturalistic), which tries to understand the phenomenon from the subjective experiences of individuals. The study discovered that banditry has multiple consequences (economical, political, social, cultural, religious, etc) on the youth in Northwest Nigeria. The paper recommends that, despite the challenges posed by banditry, efforts can be made to promote resilience and develop coping strategies among youths in the Northwest, Nigeria. This may involve implementing psycho-social support programs, trauma-informed teaching practices, and community-based interventions to address the psychological impact.