"Ubuntu Rooted in Humanity"-  

In recent decades, terrorism has gripped West Africa with devastating consequences — from the massacres of villagers in Northern Nigeria to the recurring attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) often cloak themselves in religious language, declaring their mission to “defend Islam” or establish “pure Sharia governance.”

But beneath the veneer of piety lies a murkier reality — one entangled with politics, power struggles, and profit.

The question, therefore, must be asked with honesty and courage: Are these groups truly religious movements, or are they political tools disguised in the language of faith?

To answer that, we must examine their roots, motivations, and methods — and contrast them with the authentic spiritual traditions of West Africa, which have long embodied tolerance, community, and Ubuntu: the essence of shared humanity.

1. Faith or Facade? Understanding the Ideological Mask

Terrorist organizations in West Africa consistently claim to act in the name of Islam. Boko Haram, for example, translates to “Western education is forbidden,” and its leaders present their violence as a “divine” rebellion against moral corruption and Western influence. Similarly, ISGS and AQIM speak of restoring a caliphate that transcends national borders — a utopian dream meant to attract young believers disillusioned with their governments.

However, their actions betray their words. These groups routinely attack Muslim villages, destroy mosques, and kill clerics who oppose their extremism. They enslave women, recruit child soldiers, and traffic arms — practices directly violating the Quranic principles of justice and compassion.

In essence, religion becomes a mask for power, not a path to holiness. Their “faith” is selectively quoted, stripped of moral context, and weaponized to justify domination. They use verses of scripture not to enlighten souls but to silence dissent.

True religious revival brings order, ethics, and dignity. What these groups bring is chaos, greed, and fear. That is not religion; it is manipulation.

2. The Political Roots of a “Holy” War

To call these groups purely religious would be to ignore their political DNA. Across West Africa, weak governance, corruption, and ethnic inequality have created fertile ground for radical mobilization. In Northern Nigeria, decades of poverty and neglect by the central government left millions alienated. Schools failed, hospitals crumbled, and youth unemployment soared.

Boko Haram’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf, capitalized on this despair. He preached that politicians were thieves, that Western systems were corrupt, and that a divine order under Sharia law would bring justice. His message was political rebellion cloaked in theology. When the state responded with brutality — killing Yusuf in police custody — it transformed a fringe sect into a revolutionary symbol.

The same pattern unfolds across the Sahel. In Mali, extremist factions gained strength after the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in Libya (2011), which flooded the region with weapons and unemployed fighters. When Tuareg separatists and jihadists joined forces to seize northern Mali in 2012, they framed it as a religious liberation. In reality, it was a power struggle over territory and resources, from gold mines to trafficking routes.

Religion gave these movements legitimacy among the poor and disenfranchised — but power and profit were their true currencies.

3. The Hidden Hands: Local and Foreign Political Interests

Beneath the surface, terrorism in West Africa is not just a local phenomenon — it is also a tool in broader political games.

In Nigeria, multiple reports and security leaks suggest that elements within the northern elite have covertly financed or protected militant networks. Some do so to weaken political rivals; others to maintain instability that justifies massive defense budgets and emergency powers. The chaos becomes profitable — both financially and politically.

In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, extremist threats have repeatedly been used to legitimize military coups. Each time the army seizes power, it promises to “restore security” and eliminate jihadists. Yet, the violence often intensifies afterward. The endless war keeps soldiers in power, foreign aid flowing, and scrutiny muted.

On the international stage, Western powers — notably France and the United States — have used the “war on terror” narrative to maintain military influence in Africa. France’s Operation Barkhane and America’s AFRICOM base presence have strategic aims beyond terrorism, including protecting mining interests and countering rivals like Russia and China. Meanwhile, Russia, through the Wagner Group, has entered the Sahel as a new “security partner,” exchanging counterterrorism assistance for mining concessions.

The result is a geopolitical marketplace of fear, where terrorism becomes both a justification and a currency for political deals. The so-called “religious” fighters are pawns in a grander contest for influence and control.

4. The Economic Engine Behind Extremism

To sustain their operations, terrorist groups rely heavily on the illegal economy. Kidnapping for ransom, smuggling, cattle rustling, and drug trafficking are not acts of faith but of profit. In the Lake Chad Basin, Boko Haram controls lucrative trade routes, taxing fishermen, herders, and merchants under the guise of “zakat” (Islamic tax). In Mali and Niger, ISGS militants protect gold mines and take a cut from artisanal miners — blurring the line between jihad and organized crime.

When ideology becomes business, faith loses its soul.

These “holy warriors” evolve into warlords, commanding fiefdoms sustained by extortion. Religion remains a convenient slogan — a tool to discipline recruits and silence communities — but the day-to-day reality is economic domination.

Thus, the war on terror is not only ideological; it is also a competition for resources in one of the world’s poorest regions. As drought, desertification, and population growth intensify, control over land, water, and trade becomes more valuable than sermons or scripture.

5. The Psychological Trap: Faith as a Weapon of Control

For the foot soldiers, religion offers meaning amid despair. Most recruits are young men with no jobs, no education, and no identity beyond poverty. Extremist recruiters exploit this emptiness, promising them paradise, brotherhood, and revenge against corrupt rulers.

But once inside, these youths discover that the “jihad” is less about God and more about obedience. Fear replaces faith. Ideology becomes a cage. Leaders invoke divine authority to command absolute loyalty — a classic tactic of psychological control found in cults and totalitarian movements alike.

The irony is tragic: religion, which should liberate the soul, becomes the very chain that enslaves it.

6. Africa’s Spiritual Heritage vs. Imported Fanaticism

West Africa’s indigenous Islamic and Christian traditions are deeply rooted in tolerance, dialogue, and community service. The Sufi brotherhoods of Senegal, Niger, and Nigeria — such as the Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya orders — teach peace, humility, and social solidarity. Their message aligns with the African philosophy of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.”

Extremist movements, by contrast, are ideological imports — fueled by radical doctrines from the Middle East and North Africa, financed by global jihadist networks. They reject Africa’s cultural synthesis of faith and humanity, branding it as heresy.

The battle in West Africa, therefore, is not between Muslims and Christians — or between believers and unbelievers — but between authentic African spirituality and foreign ideological manipulation. One seeks life in harmony; the other seeks dominance through death.

7. Reclaiming Faith and Politics for the People

To dismantle terrorism, Africa must separate religion from political exploitation. Faith should inspire justice, not justify tyranny. The path forward involves:

• Empowering credible religious leaders to counter extremist narratives with compassion and logic.

• Building inclusive governance that listens to local grievances before they become ammunition for radicals.

• Reviving education that balances scientific literacy with moral instruction rooted in African values.

• Holding political elites accountable who benefit from conflict or manipulate religion for power.

• Promoting interfaith collaboration that unites communities in shared humanity rather than division.

When young Africans see justice, opportunity, and dignity in their societies, the false promises of jihad will lose their appeal.

8. The Mask Falls

Terrorism in West Africa wears the face of religion, but its heart beats to the rhythm of politics, greed, and manipulation.

"The Quran and the Bible are not to blame — they are victims of distortion. The true faith of Africa is Ubuntu — rooted in love, justice, and collective upliftment".

The tragedy is that power-hungry men have hijacked this moral space, turning divine words into weapons. But as communities awaken — through education, unity, and truth — the mask will fall. The world will see that today’s “holy wars” are not about God at all. They are about control.

And once Africans reclaim their faith and politics from the merchants of violence, the Sahel will rise again — not as a battlefield, but as a beacon of spiritual and human renewal.