Security experts, policymakers and key stakeholders have called for a more coordinated and intelligence-driven strategy to combat the growing links between banditry, terrorism and organized criminal networks in Nigeria.
The call was made during a high-level policy dialogue on the theme, “Banditry–Terror Nexus: Criminal Economies and the Future of Violence in Nigeria,” held in Abuja.
The dialogue, organised by the CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, brought together security experts, researchers, civil society organisations, development partners and government officials to examine the increasing complexity of insecurity in the country.
Participants expressed concern over the growing connection between banditry, terrorism and criminal economies, warning that the trend continues to fuel violence and worsen insecurity in several parts of Nigeria.
According to the stakeholders, criminal groups are exploiting poverty, weak institutions and porous borders to sustain their operations, making it difficult for conventional security measures alone to effectively tackle the challenges.
They stressed the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies, improved intelligence gathering, and long-term socio-economic interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of violence and criminality across the country.