Nigerian social critic Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has identified education as the “only solution” to the country’s ongoing terrorism challenges, particularly in the northern region. In a video posted on his official Facebook page on Monday, VDM blamed the escalation of terrorist activities on the lack of formal education, noting that many of those involved in extremism come from northern states where access to schooling is limited.
VDM argued that a government willing to dedicate four years of an eight-year tenure to compulsory education in the North could drastically reduce recruitment into extremist groups. He emphasized that knowledge is power, and educating youths would remove them from criminal networks and forest hideouts, preventing them from being exploited for violent purposes. According to him, the focus on religious studies over formal education has allowed a small educated elite to manipulate uneducated youths, turning them into tools for terrorism.
Highlighting the vulnerability of young people in northern cities, VDM pointed out that places like Maiduguri and Zamfara have large numbers of idle youths, many of whom are seen begging on the streets. He warned that these conditions make them easy targets for extremist recruitment, suggesting that thousands of uneducated young people could be mobilized quickly if left unchecked.
VDM concluded by stressing that unless immediate steps are taken to improve education access in the North, Nigeria is likely to continue facing severe security challenges for years to come. He called on national leaders to prioritize education as a fundamental strategy for tackling terrorism and empowering the country’s most vulnerable populations.