Why Yorubaland Stands Apart from Northern Nigeria

For many years, since banditry and terrorism surged in northern Nigeria, the region and its leaders have blamed everyone but the real culprits for the insecurity troubling the country. When Goodluck Jonathan was in power, it was because of his "cluelessness." Then under Muhammadu Buhari, it became about "climate change, poverty and illiteracy." Now, in President Tinubu’s Nigeria, it is seen as a ‘weak and uncaring government towards the north.’ Whenever the government suggests a strong military response to insecurity, northern leaders, represented by Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, call for calm and urge the government to negotiate with bandits terrorizing their people.

Many influential figures from the north, including late President Muhammadu Buhari, Sheikh Gumi, former minister Bashir Dalhatu, and former NHIS executive secretary Professor Usman Yusuf, have asked the federal government to grant amnesty to terrorists in the region. They want the same treatment given to Niger Delta militants during President Umar Musa Yar’Adua’s time. When Buhari, a popular politician from the region, became President in 2015, many were quiet about the rising violence from banditry to protect his image. As a result, states like Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Kebbi suffered from mass killings, abductions, and kidnappings while the world remained largely unaware.

Anyone who tried to speak out for government action to protect lives and property was often viciously attacked. They faced defamation and were ostracized by many supporters of Buhari, who portrayed them as worse than infidels. A notable example is Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid, the Imam of Apo legislative quarters Jummat mosque in Abuja. He was removed from his position for being vocal about insecurity in northern Nigeria and urging President Buhari to act.

Interestingly, the chairman of the mosque committee that fired him was Senator Saidu Dansadau from Zamfara, a state heavily affected by banditry. His village had been almost completely destroyed by bandits. The combination of extreme Islamism, pacifism, and political correctness has pushed Arewa toward a situation similar to Afghanistan, where groups like Lakurawa, Mamuda, and Ansaru operate freely.

President Tinubu, who is focused on re-election, seems to be adopting a non-military approach to insecurity to avoid upsetting northern leaders. In the three years since he became president, there have been several kidnappings of school children in Niger, Kaduna, and Kebbi. Many of the abductees were released through negotiations, which drew criticism from Nigerians, including me. But what I didn’t know is that this peaceful approach is where Arewa terrorists stop their activities. When they attempted to spread their terror to Yorubaland, they met a different response from President Tinubu.

The first sign that Yorubaland is different from Arewa came when jihadists attacked the Oriire community in Oyo state. They kidnapped children and teachers from several schools, but the people stood together and demanded action from President Tinubu. There were massive protests at Aso Rock, calling for decisive action. I didn’t hear any Yoruba Muslim cleric suggesting talks with the terrorists as “our brothers.” Even Professor Ish’aq Akintola, known for his activism, did not advocate for negotiation.

When Nigerian musician Davido spoke out during the World Cup opening ceremony, pushing for the release of the abducted kids, he faced backlash from Dauda Kahutu, a Hausa singer, who accused him of damaging Nigeria's reputation.

With the Yoruba people uniting against terrorism and urging their son in power to act, it’s clear that Yorubaland is not Arewanistan. In Arewa, terrorists are glamorized, but in Yorubaland, they are not. After the Oriire abduction, President Tinubu launched a new military operation that successfully rescued the abductees. For the first time since the civil war, the Nigerian state showed its full strength against terrorists. Unlike before, the Tinubu government did not negotiate or use a peaceful approach in this case.

After rescuing the abductees and neutralizing the attackers, Nigeria’s security services arrested their collaborators. Two leaders of the group were quickly tried, found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison. The SSS has appealed this judgment, seeking the death penalty for the group leaders. This shows that if the government is willing to act, it can make a difference. The problems of banditry and terrorism in northern Nigeria stem from misguided cultural and religious practices, creating a dangerous situation that threatens the entire country. But with the Oriire rescue and the upcoming establishment of state police, it is clear that the rest of Nigeria may no longer tolerate the violence coming from the north.