-Ubuntu Rooted in Humanity-

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is often described as a country of immense promise. Yet, for decades, it has struggled under the weight of terrorism, banditry, and chronic insecurity, especially in its northern regions.

From Boko Haram to ISWAP, armed militias, and local bandit groups, the scale of violence has been staggering: over 40,000 deaths, millions displaced, communities destroyed, and entire states destabilized.

But while conventional explanations point to religion, poverty, or foreign influence as causes of Nigeria’s terrorism crisis, a deeper, more unsettling question arises: Could this ongoing violence be a deliberate design — a tool used to weaken national unity and maintain political power through chaos?

At first glance, this may sound conspiratorial. Yet, when examined through the lenses of history, political economics, and governance, a disturbing pattern emerges: the structures of terror, governance failures, and elite interests converge in a way that benefits some while devastating the many.

1. Terrorism as a Political Instrument

Violence has long been a tool for political control, not only in Nigeria but globally. In regions where government authority is weak or contested, elites may exploit unrest to maintain dominance. In Northern Nigeria, terror networks serve multiple political purposes:

• Voter suppression and election manipulation: Communities plagued by insurgency often cannot access polling stations or exercise civic rights. This creates a de facto control over electoral outcomes, benefiting politicians allied with—or protected by—violent actors.

• Weakening opposition strongholds: Armed groups selectively attack areas perceived as supportive of rival political factions. This is not random; intelligence reports and local testimonies indicate patterns of targeting based on political alignment.

• Maintaining elite dominance: By keeping regions unstable, political elites maintain dependence. Communities turn to local power brokers or government-appointed intermediaries for protection, deepening patronage networks.

In this sense, terrorism functions less as a purely ideological or religious phenomenon and more as a mechanism of power maintenance — a shadow instrument wielded by political actors to manipulate society.

2. Historical Precedents of Instrumentalized Violence

Nigeria’s political history offers examples of how crises can be harnessed to consolidate power. During military regimes and even civilian transitions, unrest was often used as justification for centralizing authority, controlling resources, and limiting dissent.

• In the 1980s and 1990s, religious and ethnic clashes were sometimes politically exploited to shape regional representation and federal appointments.

• The Niger Delta insurgency of the early 2000s, though ostensibly about resource control, also became a conduit for elite enrichment and political influence, as militants were selectively supported or negotiated with depending on government priorities.

Northern Nigeria’s terrorism crisis can be seen as a continuation of this historical pattern: violence is allowed, nurtured, or left unresolved because it reinforces certain power structures.

3. Elite Complicity and Patronage Networks

Evidence abounds suggesting that some Northern Nigerian elites are implicated in terrorism through direct or indirect sponsorship. Whether through financial support, protection, or leveraging insurgent networks for local influence, these elites benefit from insecurity in multiple ways:

• Control of territory and resources: Bandits and militant groups often operate in areas rich in minerals, farmland, or strategic transport routes. Political elites with connections to these groups can profit from the control of these assets.

• Political leverage: Insurgent networks can intimidate rivals or manipulate voter turnout, effectively allowing elites to shape election outcomes in favor of allies.

• Perpetuation of patronage systems: Violence ensures communities remain dependent on elite-appointed intermediaries or politicians for safety, food aid, and basic services.

By allowing terrorism to persist, elites maintain a monopoly over both power and profit, effectively turning chaos into a tool of governance.

4. Fragmentation and Weakening of National Unity

Nigeria is a diverse country with over 250 ethnic groups and multiple religious affiliations. National cohesion is fragile. Terrorism exploits these divisions by:

• Sowing mistrust between communities: Boko Haram and ISWAP deliberately target Christians, moderates, and dissenting Muslim communities, creating deep social fissures.

• Inflaming sectarian narratives: Political actors often manipulate these attacks to frame regional identities as inherently “oppositional,” reinforcing polarization.

• Undermining federal authority: Persistent insecurity erodes trust in national institutions. When the government appears incapable of protecting citizens, local militias and vigilante groups gain authority, further fragmenting governance.

In essence, terrorism is a divisive force, weakening the bonds of unity while enabling elites to position themselves as indispensable arbiters of order.

5. Economic Control Through Insecurity

Terrorism also intersects with the economy. Northern Nigeria’s insecurity fuels illicit markets — ransom payments, illegal mining, cattle rustling, and smuggling. Political elites and intermediaries often tap into these shadow economies, enriching themselves while keeping the state weak.

By perpetuating instability:

• Formal economic development is stifled, ensuring that communities remain dependent on elite patronage.

• Government oversight is limited, as insecurity provides a pretext for opaque spending, military contracts, and diversion of funds.

• Resource capture by elites continues, as conflict zones are kept beyond the reach of regulators and auditors.

Chaos becomes profitable, and the political class has a vested interest in its continuation.

6. The Federal Government’s Reluctance to Act

A striking feature of Nigeria’s crisis is the federal government’s apparent hesitancy to prosecute terror sponsors or decisively dismantle networks. This reluctance stems from several interlocking factors:

• Fear of destabilization: Arresting influential sponsors could provoke violent backlash.

• Political alliances: Many sponsors are powerful politicians whose removal would disrupt regional power balances.

• Institutional weakness: Corruption and inefficiency in the judiciary, security services, and intelligence agencies limit accountability.

• Strategic expediency: Allowing limited chaos preserves bargaining power for elites at both local and federal levels.

From this perspective, terrorism’s persistence is less a failure of governance and more a calculated political equilibrium, designed to maintain control through instability.

7. The Human Cost and Moral Implications

While elites and political actors may benefit from insecurity, ordinary Nigerians pay the ultimate price:

• Millions displaced across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Zamfara states.

• Schools and hospitals destroyed, depriving children of education and communities of healthcare.

• Trauma and generational disruption, with young people vulnerable to radicalization.

• Erosion of civic trust, leaving communities dependent on patronage rather than the rule of law.

The perpetuation of insecurity for political gain constitutes a moral failure at the highest levels of governance, violating the very principles of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.”

8. Breaking the Cycle

Ending the deliberate use of terrorism as a tool of power requires structural and moral reform:

1. Independent investigations into terror financing and elite complicity.

2. Transparency in security spending to prevent diversion of funds to sponsor networks.

3. Community empowerment to reduce dependence on elite-appointed intermediaries.

4. Strengthened legal institutions to prosecute sponsors without political interference.

5. Civic education to resist manipulation and reinforce national unity.

Only by confronting the political design behind insecurity can Nigeria begin to reclaim its national cohesion and ensure that governance serves citizens, not chaos.

Chaos as a Strategy

Nigeria’s terrorism crisis cannot be understood solely as a religious or ideological war. It is also a political instrument, a mechanism through which elites consolidate power, extract economic rents, manipulate elections, and fragment national unity.

Chaos, in this framework, is profitable, politically useful, and strategically maintained. Until Nigeria addresses the elite interests that benefit from insecurity, peace will remain elusive, and national unity will remain a fragile aspiration rather than a lived reality.

True transformation will require courageous leadership, institutional integrity, and civic engagement — a reclamation of the principles of Ubuntu, where the wellbeing of the many outweighs the calculated advantage of the few.