Brigandage and criminal victimization in Nahuche community, Zamfara State: impact on food security

Brigandage in Nigeria has been examined from various dimensions. However, little has been done about the effects that crime has on food security. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of brigandage on food security, with a focus on the Nahuche community in Zamfara State. The study was premised on the theory of routine activities. An exploratory research design was adopted for the study. Data were elicited from farmers, and traders using semi-structured interviews, and thereafter subjected to thematic analysis. A purposive sampling technique was adopted in the selection of respondents for the study. Findings show that brigandage was intense in the study area. Farmers were attacked and kidnapped from their farms for ransom, resulting in the abandonment of farmlands. It was also found that farmers were forced to pay harvest fees to the brigands before they were allowed to harvest their crops. Consequently, a significant drop in farmers’ output and the associated shortage of food were experienced in the community. The study concludes that brigandage caused food insecurity in Nahuche community that hitherto enjoyed food security. Regrettably, the security personnel seems to be overwhelmed as the crime continues to worsen. By implication, the community stands to experience food insecurity as long as brigandage persists. Among others, the study recommends that brigands be made to perceive the risk of apprehension as high through the intensification of law enforcement. Farmers and traders should avoid predictable daily routines that expose them to victimization.