Author(s) :

BABA Andrew Gaiya.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria has experienced an escalating wave of armed banditry since 2015, with devastating consequences for agricultural production and rural food systems. This paper examines the nexus between banditry, agricultural displacement, and the systemic collapse of food security in Kaduna State. Drawing on a synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports, and field-based studies, the paper argues that organised armed banditry has rendered vast farmlands inaccessible, displaced hundreds of thousands of farming households, disrupted rural supply chains, and precipitated acute and chronic food insecurity across the state. The paper adopts the conflict theory and the sustainable livelihoods approach as complementary theoretical frameworks. Key findings indicate that Kaduna State recorded numerous bandit attacks, leading to the abandonment of thousands of hectares of arable land, particularly in Birnin-Gwari and kajuru local government areas. The collapse of food systems is traced through four interrelated dimensions: production disruption, supply chain breakdown, market dysfunction, and nutritional vulnerability. The paper concludes with policy recommendations emphasising integrated security-agriculture frameworks, community-based early warning systems, and IDP livelihood rehabilitation. Keywords: Banditry, agricultural displacement, food security, internally displaced persons, food systems collapse

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