Nigeria’s long-running security crisis stems largely from dysfunctional governance and unresolved grievances, not just terrorism or religious conflict, according to political and security analyst Jaye Gaskia.

Speaking to Rise and Shine, Gaskia said the country’s multiple layers of violence, from insurgency to banditry and communal clashes, have persisted because “successive governments have failed to address the underlying social and economic causes.”

“Nigeria’s military is deployed in internal operations across all six geopolitical zones,” he noted. “That alone shows the scale of the problem and how deeply insecurity has taken root.”

For over 15 years, Nigeria has battled Islamist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast. At the same time, local conflicts between herders and farmers, alongside a surge in kidnappings for ransom, have extended instability into central and north-western regions.

Gaskia argued that these newer forms of violence have thrived on long-standing disputes over land, water, and political representation.

“Resource grievances, boundary disputes, and economic marginalisation are at the heart of much of this conflict,” he said. “When governance systems fail and grievance-resolution mechanisms collapse, it becomes easy for charismatic figures to mobilise violence.”

He also rejected claims that Christians are being specifically targeted, following remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who recently threatened military action over reported attacks on Christian communities.

“Religion and ethnicity are not the main drivers,” Gaskia explained. “They often become secondary factors once conflicts over land or resources take on a communal character. Extremist groups have attacked both Christians and Muslims who reject their ideology.”

–ChannelAfrica–