Insecurity and counter-banditry strategies of the affected communities in Oyo State, Nigeria

Purpose Banditry is a major social problem in Nigeria that has over time defied series of intervention measures introduced by the federal and state governments to address it. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the counter-banditry strategies of the affected communities in Oyo State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The research was exploratory and cross-sectional in design. Situational criminal prevention theory was used as conceptual guide. Data were elicited from community leaders, community members and local security guards using in-depth interview, key-informant interview and focus group discussion methods. Findings The results showed that communities affected by banditry problem were adopting different internal and external interventions to combat the criminal act. Although the counter-banditry strategies of the affected communities have brought about a reduction in the occurrence of the criminal act, the problem is yet to be totally eliminated as people still get victimised. Originality/value This research expanded the frontiers of knowledge by focusing on the counter-banditry strategies of the communities affected by the problem of banditry and also suggested relevant practical steps that can be taken to further strengthen the existing security architectures in such locations.