For over a decade, Nigeria has been trapped in a vicious cycle of bloodshed, from the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, to the farmer-herder conflicts ravaging the Middle Belt, to the killings and abductions now spreading into the Southeast.
Yet when one looks beyond the headlines and propaganda, a clearer picture emerges: our security crisis is not fundamentally religious, it is political, economic, and criminal.
Religion has been used as a convenient smokescreen to disguise deeper motives, corruption, land grabbing, illegal mining, and geopolitical maneuvering that benefit a few at the expense of millions.
The Northern Theatre: An Industry of Insurgency
What if Boko Haram and its offshoots were never truly meant to be defeated?
Billions of dollars have been poured into counter-terrorism operations, yet the violence persists. Nigeria spends more on defense than any country in sub-Saharan Africa, but soldiers at the front line still beg for fuel, food, and ammunition.
Where does the money go? Into the pockets of politicians, generals, and contractors, the “forever war economy.”
Foreign partners, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, have also turned the insurgency into a strategic playground, selling weapons, surveillance drones, and “technical assistance” while ensuring the conflict remains alive enough to justify future sales.
The question Nigerians should be asking is: who benefits from the endless war?
The Middle Belt: Land, Gold, and the Politics of Blood
Nowhere is the real motive behind the violence clearer than in the Middle Belt, the nation’s fertile and mineral-rich heartland.
Under the guise of “farmer-herder clashes,” communities are being systematically displaced. What follows after every round of killings? Takeovers of land rich in gold, lithium, and other minerals.
Satellite data and field reports have linked some attacks to organized criminal networks connected to illegal mining cartels. These groups use ethnic and religious narratives to inflame tensions, while their sponsors quietly extract wealth.
The result is a humanitarian catastrophe, thousands dead, villages erased, and a permanent state of insecurity that allows corruption to thrive under the fog of chaos.
The Southeast: Crime Wearing the Mask of Revolution
What began as political agitation in the Southeast has degenerated into a black market of violence, a toxic mix of extortion, kidnapping, and fake “freedom fighters” now exploiting the insecurity narrative for profit.
Under the shadow of “unknown gunmen,” a dangerous criminal class has emerged, taxing traders, burning vehicles, and attacking police stations while pretending to fight for liberation.
Meanwhile, government forces use the same chaos to justify militarization, extortion, and intimidation, creating a vicious feedback loop that benefits everyone except the ordinary people.
The truth? Much of what is called “Biafra struggle” today has been hijacked by greed and power racketeering, not ideology.
Corruption: The Real Enemy Within
From Abuja to the barracks, insecurity has become the single most profitable business in Nigeria.
Contracts for ghost operations, inflated arms deals, and foreign training programs are renewed year after year with little accountability.
In 2017 and again in 2022, Nigeria spent almost one-third of its defense budget on U.S. aircraft and helicopters, yet bandits still operate freely on motorcycles.
How can a government invest billions in airstrikes when the enemy moves on foot through ungoverned forests? Because the aim is not victory, it is continuous funding.
The Geopolitical Schemes Behind the Guns
Behind the curtain of violence are international interests eyeing Nigeria’s resources and strategic location.
Foreign powers understand that a weak and divided Nigeria is easier to manipulate.
The northern crisis justifies foreign military presence and weapons sales; the Middle Belt conflicts open doors for covert resource exploitation; and the Southeastern instability ensures the South remains politically fragmented.
It’s a perfect storm, one that keeps Nigeria dependent, distracted, and divided.
The Religious Mirage
Yes, there are undeniable pockets of religious violence, burned churches, attacked mosques, and sectarian hatred.
But to reduce Nigeria’s bloodshed to religion alone is to fall for the illusion crafted by those who profit from chaos.
The real religion of Nigeria’s insecurity is greed.
Faith is the costume; money and power are the gods being worshipped.
The Way Forward
Until Nigeria breaks this cycle, by ending corruption in the defense sector, enforcing local policing accountability, and protecting land from illegal seizure, peace will remain a mirage.
We must stop seeing every attack through the narrow lens of tribe or faith and start recognizing the machinery of profit and politics that drives the violence.
Because the truth is simple but bitter: Nigeria’s war is not about God, it’s about gold, power, and control.
By Hon. Duruebube “Oblong” Chimazuru Nnadi-Oforgu
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
Leave a comment