Effects of banditry on the income of livestock farmers in Zuru Emirate, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Banditry represents a critical security challenge that has profoundly impacted the northwest region of Nigeria over the past decade. The relentless operations of bandits have led to alarming increases in kidnapping, loss of lives, the displacement of rural farmers, and the theft of livestock. This research provides a decisive examination of the effects of banditry on the income generation of livestock farmers in the Zuru Emirate of Kebbi State. Our study, which involved a robust sample of 200 livestock farmers utilizing multi-stage random sampling techniques, yielded significant insights. The analysis of the collected data using independent t-tests and regression models revealed a significant difference in income. Before the onset of banditry, the average annual income of cattle farmers was estimated at ₦12,028,000, a figure that plummeted to ₦4,408,000 during the banditry crisis. The result of exponential regression showed that the payment of ransom by livestock farmers was negatively significant at 1% level of probability, while migration of livestock farmers, frequency of attacks during banditry, livestock number owned access to veterinary services and farming experience were positively significant at1% level of probability. The result concluded that the majority of areas attacked by bandits are closer to forests that link northwest of Nigeria, and the majority of the farmers reared cattle and sheep. It is recommended that policymakers need to discourage paying of ransom, create job opportunities, and empowerment scheme for idle rural youths that is usually recruited by bandits. Keynote: Banditry effect, income, livestock farmers, Zuru emirate.