Nigeria's rich mineral deposit, in the form of gold, has become a curse rather than a blessing. The north-west region of the country, including Katsina and Zamfara states, has been ravaged by banditry and terror, with power brokers and elites in connivance to conduct illegal mining activities.

Other than devastating the economy of the nation, it further spread terror and instability in the region.

Gold mining has long been a profitable venture in Nigeria for more than four decades, with powerful and affluent players in the sector controlling the sector. Yet the severe competition among owners of mines has caused the owners to hire bandits to secure their fields, thus a culture of violence and impunity was enthroned .

The trend has continued for the last two decades where owners of mines are offering weapons, arms, drugs, food, and logistics to bandits in exchange for protection.

It has been confirmed through research that bandits ally themselves with elites to engage in criminal gold mining activities, undermining peace and stability in the region.

The elites use their power of resources and influence to militarize access to mineral resources, strengthening violence and instability.

The state's reaction to illegal gold mining has also been poor with minimal monitoring and regulation of the mining operations.

Illicit gold in Nigeria does not stay within Nigeria. The transnational supply chain reaches Chad, Niger, Libya, and Algeria, with networks in the criminal supply chain.

Bandits sell to gold merchants and traders, who export the mineral to other countries, including Benin.

The cost of human lives due to banditry and artisanal mining in Nigeria's north-west has been devastating. Between 2010 and 2023, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data documented 1,615 events and 4,201 deaths caused by banditry in Katsina and Zamfara states.

The violence has also left thousands displaced, with many more in fear of attack.

In solving the issue of banditry and illegal gold mining in Nigeria's north-western region, the government ought to adopt a multi-dimensional approach. This includes:

1. *Enforcement of the law and improvement of accountability

The government ought to enhance border patrols and law enforcement capabilities, apply sophisticated contraband-detecting technology, and pursue and prosecute those behind the illegal gold trade.

2. *Reorganization of the gold mining and security sector

The state must oversee the mining industry, support honest miners, and make the state more interested in the industry.

3. *Engaging the communities in the solution*

The state must work to create partnerships with communities in order to gather human intelligence about bandit activity, illegal mining, and smuggling of minerals.

4. *Freezing assets and targeted sanctions

The government may impose sanctions on elite complicity and freeze assets to hamper their ability to fund and perpetuate violence.

With these actions, the government can begin to address the causes of banditry and illegal mining in Nigeria's north-west region towards a peaceful future with stability.