— Ubuntu Rooted in Humanity —

Nigeria’s protracted struggle with terrorism—particularly in the North-East and northern regions—has exposed a critical reality: violence is rarely just a product of ideology. Evidence from decades of conflict shows that political figures and elites have, at times, facilitated or tolerated extremist networks for personal gain, electoral advantage, or control over resources.

From financing local militias to turning a blind eye to ransom payments and arms trafficking, these actions have prolonged insecurity, destroyed livelihoods, and weakened institutions.

Given this context, a central question arises: can Nigeria achieve lasting peace without confronting the truth about these elite complicities and holding those responsible accountable? A careful examination shows that peace without truth and accountability is not only fragile but likely unattainable.

1. The Fragility of Peace Without Truth

Peace that ignores underlying injustices is often superficial and temporary. In Nigeria:

• Communities feel betrayed: When elites who fund or shield extremists remain unpunished, communities lose faith in the state’s ability to protect them. This erodes trust and undermines social cohesion.

• Cycles of resentment and retaliation: Unaddressed grievances against political actors or their proxies create a fertile ground for insurgency, community militias, or vigilante justice.

• Normalization of impunity: If political figures escape accountability, a precedent is set that empowering violence carries no consequences, increasing the likelihood of repetition.

Historical examples—such as post-conflict situations in Liberia and Sierra Leone—demonstrate that peace agreements without mechanisms to establish truth and enforce accountability often collapse, leading to renewed cycles of violence.

2. The Role of Truth in Healing and Reconciliation

Truth-telling is a cornerstone of sustainable peace:

• Acknowledging harm: Communities affected by terrorism need acknowledgment of the political complicity that allowed insurgents to thrive. Recognizing these realities validates the suffering of victims.

• Preventing denial and revisionism: Without public truth-telling, narratives are shaped by elites, extremists, or external actors, which can distort public understanding and fuel future conflict.

• Restoring societal trust: Transparency about who empowered extremists allows citizens to differentiate between the state’s legitimate institutions and the individuals who abused power.

Truth can take many forms: investigative commissions, public hearings, documentation of financial flows, and reporting by civil society and media. These mechanisms create shared knowledge of past abuses, enabling communities to engage in informed dialogue and reconciliation.

3. Accountability as a Deterrent

Truth alone is insufficient without effective accountability. Accountability ensures that political actors cannot continue to exploit violence for personal or political gain:

• Legal accountability: Courts, anti-corruption agencies, and special tribunals can prosecute individuals who funded, armed, or protected terrorist groups.

• Political accountability: Removal of complicit officials through transparent processes, elections, or impeachment reinforces democratic norms.

• Economic accountability: Confiscation of assets acquired through illicit funding or collusion with extremist networks disrupts the financial incentives for empowering violence.

Accountability deters future misconduct by sending a clear message: elite power does not place one above the law. In the absence of such consequences, insurgents may continue to manipulate political actors, knowing their actions are tacitly tolerated.

4. Implications for National Security and Development

Without addressing elite complicity, the consequences are profound:

• Weakened security operations: Military and police actions against insurgents are undermined if political protection remains intact, creating operational blind spots.

• Economic stagnation: Investors, both domestic and international, are reluctant to engage in regions where elite-backed violence is pervasive, reducing job creation and economic recovery.

• Social polarization: Communities may align along ethnic, religious, or political lines, viewing the state as partial or complicit, which exacerbates tension and perpetuates cycles of conflict.

In effect, peace becomes a veneer, masking deeper structural failures and leaving the country vulnerable to renewed extremist activity.

5. Lessons from Transitional Justice Worldwide

Global experiences show that truth and accountability are prerequisites for lasting peace:

• South Africa: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission provided a platform for victims to testify about state abuses, enabling partial societal healing while maintaining political stability.

• Sierra Leone: Post-civil war tribunals and asset recovery programs targeted individuals who financed violence, helping to restore state legitimacy.

• Colombia: Transitional justice frameworks for paramilitary and insurgent crimes emphasized both truth and reparations, preventing resurgence of violence in communities.

These examples demonstrate that addressing elite complicity is not merely symbolic; it directly strengthens institutions, restores public confidence, and reduces incentives for renewed conflict.

6. Practical Steps for Nigeria

For Nigeria, achieving peace without accountability would be unrealistic. The country needs a comprehensive approach:

1. Independent Investigations: Establish commissions to uncover links between political elites and extremist networks, supported by civil society and media oversight.

2. Specialized Judicial Mechanisms: Create tribunals or courts equipped to handle complex terrorism financing cases, ensuring impartiality and speed.

3. Asset Tracing and Recovery: Target financial networks supporting terrorism, especially those connected to influential figures, to cut off incentives.

4. Community Participation: Engage citizens in oversight processes, reparations programs, and public truth-telling to rebuild trust.

5. International Cooperation: Collaborate with global financial intelligence, law enforcement, and human rights organizations to strengthen investigations and provide credibility.

These steps not only expose and punish wrongdoing but also reaffirm the state’s commitment to protecting citizens, a fundamental condition for peace.

7. Ubuntu Perspective: Collective Healing and Responsibility

Ubuntu teaches: “I am because we are.” Lasting peace is not possible when a significant portion of the population perceives that violence was facilitated by the very leaders entrusted to protect them.

• Collective acknowledgment: Communities, civil society, and the state must collectively confront the truth of past abuses.

• Shared responsibility: Peace is not the responsibility of security forces alone; it requires transparent governance, civic engagement, and judicial integrity.

• Restorative justice: Beyond punishment, peace involves addressing harms, rebuilding infrastructure, and restoring livelihoods to those affected by both insurgents and complicit elites.

Through Ubuntu, the process of truth and accountability becomes not punitive only, but transformative, enabling communities to reclaim agency and participate meaningfully in national reconstruction.

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Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable peace without confronting the truth and holding accountable the political figures who empowered extremists. Peace built on selective justice, impunity, or silence is fragile and temporary. It will fail to address the structural and institutional enablers of terrorism, leaving communities exposed to recurring cycles of violence.

Truth-telling validates victim experiences, exposes complicity, and informs reforms. Accountability deters future misconduct, strengthens institutions, and restores public confidence in the state. Together, they create the foundation for resilient governance, equitable development, and long-term security.

Ubuntu reminds us: “A person is a person through other persons.” For Nigeria, peace will only be genuine when the state, elites, and citizens engage in collective responsibility, acknowledging past failures, holding perpetrators accountable, and restoring trust. Without truth and accountability, any semblance of peace risks being a temporary illusion, easily shattered by the very forces that once thrived in impunity.