By Prince Tubo Johnson Aghogho.
(A Perspective in the twists and turns of Islamic Radicalism and Jihadism in the Nigeria’s Power Echelon).
“The average African politician does not care about the well-being of the people”…..Prof. PLO Lumumba.
As we are all aware, the primary purpose and responsibility of (the, a, any) government is to provide security and well-being (welfare) of the people – her citizens.
However, when the government is unable to provide such responsibility, it can as well be referred to as a failed government. And this is where it has become more interesting, as the performance of successive governments over the years in Nigeria since independence in 1960 to date, seemed to have dwindled and/or diminished with the passage of time
Unfortunately, this is where we have found ourselves in the country, as Nigerian citizens now find themselves in the “Lurch” and also trapped in what seems as metaphorical “Servitudes in the Bondage”.
No doubt, when a government fails and unable to functions in it’s ability to provide security and well-being of the people, that is total abandonment and desert for failure to providing them with help in times of need.
Unfortunately, one of the issue that is symptomatic for the neglect over the years in the country, is the fact that, it has now become an overwhelming security challenges not only for the political elites whose failure to “nip it in the bud” at the outset, but every Nigerian who is feeling the heat of it.
Meanwhile, the resultant effect is that, it has now subjected everyone to look as though we are servitudes in bondage, in what may finds a parallel in Prof PLO Lumumba, a revered global scholar and Advocate of the high Court statement, and I quote, “The average African politician does not care about the well-being of the people”, end of quote, as a reflection of the failure of the governments in Nigeria’s political space.
The Synopsis/Historical Background:
It is instructive to note that the subject matter – jihadism and/or jihad in Nigeria, has become an underlying factor that had played or influenced Nigeria’s political dynamics and power echelon.
Furthermore, it would not be out of place to say that jihadism or jihad cannot be separated from Islam and Islamisation. That’s to say that, they are like 5 and 6 or 1 and 2 in numbers.
That being said, let us have a brief understanding of what jihadism or jihad is all about.
The root word, Jihad literally signify or means, an internal or external “striving” or “struggle” as a praiseworthy aim. It is a term used to describe militant Islamic movements rooted in political Islam that utilise violence and terrorism to achieve political or religious goals such as establishment of Sharia law or an Islamic Caliphate (as we have it in Nigeria).
Furthermore, it is largely a construction in the perspective of Western society/language to mean, extremists or radicals who carry out or support violent attacks.
Although most Muslims avoid being characterized or associated with the term in a broad religious concept of being related to violence and terrorism, but that cannot be totally divorced or extricated from the truth.
It would be recalled that the Uthman Dan Fodio Jihad of 1804-1808 that resulted in the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate, and later spread the Emirate systems in the conquered territories in the North and parts of the country, applied same method during which, non-believers and moderate Muslims were killed after the conquest.
Consequently, the religion of Islam was widely spread across the land, and with the intertwine nature of events at the time, coupled with intermarriages, people who were of other religious beliefs and faith, became trapped.
Which is why in today’s Nigeria, we could find the Hausas being overwhelmed by their captors (the Fulanis) in the political landscape, just as the others whom they referred to as “Northern Minority”, and those in the “Middle Belt” or North Central geopolitical zone, could be so victimised and/or oppressed.
It is imperative to know that the Middle Belt identity is a distinct independent group, not referring to a particular state, nor tribe, neither a religion. It is rather a historical and/geographical location of people between the “Caliphate North” and the “Yoruba-Igbo and other the Southern Minority nationalities”. It is also between “Islam and Christianity”, and between the “Grazing route of the sahel and the farming valley of Nigeria’s plateau”, which is predominantly owned and occupied by the Tivs, Nupes, Jukuns, Biroms, Taroks, Igalas, Angas, etc, and over 150 other ethnic groups who are mainly Christians, who are under their own tradition institutions and heritage.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Connection:
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation – OIC, and it’s connection with Nigeria is alleged to have been mainly strategic diplomatic/foreign policy and economic interests for member Nations for Middle East and North African countries. On the economic context, it was meant to encourage member states to obtain interest free loans, and economic partnership, so they say, via Islamic Development Bank to revive weak economy (Business News Nigeria). No body knows, maybe, that’s why we are always running to UAE and other Arab Nations for loans.
On the other hand, it was also reported for domestic politics as a balance for regional and elite interest in the North as an acknowledgement of the large Muslim population in the country.(The Whistler Newspaper).
Historically, an observer status of OIC was first obtained during the General Yakubu Gowon era (a Christian), who midwifed the civil war (1967-1970). However, it was General Ibrahim Babangida (a Muslim) and under whose regime the country was officially enlisted as permanent member in 1986, and was the same head of State – as military President, that annulled the June 12, 1993 election results on the instruction or order from the Caliphate structure.
However, one may want ask the question, “Why Nigeria should be a member of OIC, that has a name tied to a religious belief (Islam/Islamic)?” It was alleged that, just as they believe that there is larger number of Muslims in the country, as such Nigeria must be a member of an organisation when the country in question is a “Secular State”? Therein lie the nexus, as some of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa are alleged to have been culpable or tagged as “terrorism sympathisers and financiers”, courtesy of religious connection and/or link to such an organisation.
The Caliphate Factor/dimension in Nigerian Terrorism:
It is also believed that there is ideological inspiration, as the Caliphate serves as an ideological blueprint for the extremists groups – such as Boko Haram and it’s splinter factions to seek violent resuscitation of the Caliphate model, and supplanting Secular laws with strict Sharia laws and uprooting Western education/influence in the country. Recall that there are several terrorists groups operating in the country with such agenda and ideology – Boko Haram, ISWAP, JAS, Lakurawa, Ansaru, and just recently, Sai Malam in the North and parts of the country, in addition to IPOB.
Global Connection and Local Impact/Consequence:
Jihadism and jihad gained it’s recognition after the Tuesday, September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States of America where close to three (3) thousand (specifically 2,977) lost their lives.
Jihadism functions as a global ideological repertoire that merges groups to realise both political and religious grievances, especially as associated with religious violence attacks in the Nigerian context. Although, members of the Muslim and/Islamic community wouldn’t agree, as their members are also being killed, but the fact remains that in Nigeria, there is political undertone to the effect.
Furthermore, one could draw a parallel and similarity of the modus operandi in the Uthman Dan Fodio Jihad and the current terrorists’ area of concentration – in North West (Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna), North Central (especially Niger, Benue, Plateau, Kogi), and the recent incursion into parts of South West, just like the Caliphate structural layout or pattern, while the North East axis of the old Kane Borno empire, has it’s own peculiarity with Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks mainly in the Borno, Yobe and Adamawa axis.
Consequently, as much as the government of Nigeria is desirous to tackle the insurgency, there is the need for us to accept the fact that those involved in the act and their sponsors who are believed to have been actively involved are themselves extremists or radicals, whose actions are synonymous to Islamic values, beliefs, and practices. And so, in this context, these terrorists, are in love with the practice of Sharia, and ire e Western education in a country that assumes as a Secular Nation.
Which brings to mind, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a de facto deputy leader of ISIS globally, and 2nd in command of ISWAP and his co-travellers, and Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu whose companies in Nigeria , France, Turkey and Syria, have been identified as terrorism sponsors linked to ISIS amongst others, such as the seven (7) terrorists who were arrested at the Katsina airport by security personnel as they were returning to Nigeria from South Arabia – a confirmation of the Caliphate connection at play.
Ironically, there is a concept that is tied to Absurdism which was famously explored by Albert Camus that says, “When absurdity stayed over time (for long), it becomes the norm”. That is what is happening/obtain in Nigeria right now, as politicians in the country had assumed political notoriety in the democratic governance, as they turn themselves to both political and economic terrorists with cohorts and agents (judges, security personnel and electoral officers) in the manipulation electoral process and stifling of the Nation’s democracy through political and judicial somersault.
As it stands, what we have in the country is the fact that politicians are only concern with personal interests, greed, and the pursuit of power, rather than the interests of the citizens. Which is why they are associated with the attitude of bullying, intimidation, propaganda, lie, deceit, manipulation and suppression, as a reflection of what I referred to as, “illiberal democracy, hybrid regime or electoral authoritarianism”, as they engage in elections that are always flawed with a compromised electoral umpire (INE), and when government agencies/institutions are weakened, and when they suppress oppositions; restrict civil liberties, and when incumbents abuse power at will against the citizens, as though there is no rule of law.
And that is when the ruling government (APC), could weaponize the citizens with poverty, and refuse to protect them and provide for their well-being (welfare), as they are constantly exposed to terrorists, bandits and kidnappers’ attack.
It is no longer news that politicians in Nigeria have inflicted more suffering to their own citizens as the country is being tagged, as “Poverty Capital” where it has attained a “multidimensional level” with over 62% in 2026 affecting over 140 million people, a rise from 56% in 2023, due to high standards of living and inflation as a result of economic shock.
That is what brought Nigeria to where it is right now. Over the years, there has been total neglect and withdrawal of responsibilities by government, and it is this inadequacy that has exposed the collapse of the moral foundation upon which terrorism, banditry and kidnapping thrives thereby corroborating the saying that, “A child conduct always reveals what the parents had tolerated or encouraged over time”, as a metaphor of what is going on in the Nigerian situation.
This is even so, as the attitudes and characters of Nigerians can no longer align with how things are being run, because, they cannot thrive in an environment that is not structured to work well in a structurally defective set up.
In conclusion, the complexities and intricacies of the contemporary encumbrances in the political and democratic process in the Nigerian context vis-a-vis the impact of Islamic religion in the power play, cannot be underestimated. And there is no doubt that both the Caliphate system, as well as the Islamic religious values and beliefs, have all influenced the Nation’s power echelon, which in effect is believed to have a nexus with the on-going insurgency or security challenges.
Therefore, to get the country and her citizens “out of the harm’s way” or “get ourselves out of arm’s length”, there is the need for the government to “nip it in the bud” the menace of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, and ensure that no one (citizen) is left in the Lurch, as though we are servitudes in bondage. The government should free it’s citizens, provide for them and protect them from the hands of terrorists and bandits.
They could do this in partnership or in collaboration with Nations that can provide intelligence, use of technology, strategic and tactical training and or engagement of more security personnel. Which is why the creation of State Police is appropriate, as it would augment the existing security architecture.
Furthermore, Nigeria should not be part of OIC, as it had already created biased sentiments amongst the political elites and as well as the citizens or in the hearts of the people whose country should have been a Secular Nation without attachment to any geopolitical or regional religious organisation.
Nigeria must rise up and obliterate the terrorism menace “head on” once and for all, rather than merely managing the danger by targeting the root causes, directly confront it, and cut off the resources – the financiers and sponsors.
That is my take, and anything other than this, would continue to jeopardise the unity of the country.
Prince Tubo Johnson Aghogho, is a Columnist and Public Affairs Commentator.
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