Terrorism Challenge in Nigeria: Professor Decries Muslim 'Scapegoating'
- Professor Akeem Akanni criticised the alleged unfair portrayal of Muslims in Nigeria's lingering conflicts
- Professor Akanni highlighted the multifaceted security challenges as rooted in systemic failures, not religion
- During a Ramadan programme, religious leaders called for unity to combat violence and prevent scapegoating
Legit.ng Oyo State correspondent Ridwan Kolawole has over 10 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Ibadan, Oyo State - An Islamic scholar, Prof Akeem Akanni, has described as unfair the characterisation of Islam and Muslims as the primary drivers of various conflicts in Nigeria.
Prof Akanni, who is also the chief imam of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, spoke at the 33rd Ramadan lecture of the University of Ibadan (UI) Muslim Community, held at the Professor Musa Abdul Civic Centre within the university mosque premises. The event, held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, was attended by Legit.ng.
Source: Twitter
Delivering a lecture titled 'Between Scapegoatism and Responsibility: Muslims’ Roles in, and Islam’s Response to Security Concerns in Nigeria,' the cleric argued that blaming a particular group for problems caused by broad systemic failures undermines justice and fairness.
He explained that scapegoating occurs when a group is unfairly blamed for issues arising from wider structural causes.
'Nigeria’s security crisis complex'
According to Prof Akanni, Nigeria’s security challenges are multifaceted and cannot be reduced solely to religion. He noted that portraying Nigerian Muslims as the root cause of violence ignores empirical evidence showing that insecurity is complex and multi-causal.
Akanni said:
“In the context of insecurity in Nigeria, this would mean portraying Nigerian Muslims as the root cause of violence, even when empirical evidence shows that insecurity is complex and multi-causal."
He identified several drivers of conflict, including government failure, the proliferation of small arms, climate change-induced resource scarcity, poverty, unemployment, and ethno-communal land disputes.
Akanni added:
“Structural drivers such as poverty, climate change, governance failure, and resource scarcity are central to understanding why many violent actors emerge from certain communities."
Source: UGC
'Boko Haram contradicts Islamic teachings'
Addressing claims by Boko Haram and other violent groups that they are fighting for Islam, Prof Akanni described such assertions as a contradiction of Islamic principles.
He said:
“Boko Haram and ISWAP self-identify with Islamist narratives and recruit largely from Muslim communities in northern Nigeria. However, their actions are antithetical to Islam’s teachings on peaceful coexistence."
Furthermore, the scholar stressed that Muslims are overwhelmingly victims of insurgency and banditry, particularly as these conflicts are concentrated in Muslim-majority regions.
Prof Akanni urged religious leaders, parents, and guardians to prioritise the proper upbringing of young Muslims to prevent recruitment by extremist groups and bandits.
Also speaking at the event, the chairman, Engineer Ishaq Folorunso, cautioned Muslims against disunity, especially by supporting scapegoating and unfounded labelling.
In their separate remarks, the pioneer executive secretary of the Muslim Ummah of the Southwest of Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof Daud Noibi, and the president of the UI Muslim Community, Emeritus Prof Musiliu Onilude, condemned the persistent violence in Nigeria. They called on stakeholders, regardless of religious or political affiliations, to work collaboratively toward peace rather than attributing conflicts to any particular religion or group.
Read more on security matters in Nigeria:
- Shinkafi, 4 other areas in Nigeria that may be affected if US carries out strikes
- US threats of invasion: Ex-military head of state breaks silence on what Donald Trump must do to Nigeria
- The Country of Particular Concern trap: What the US Senate got wrong about Nigeria’s Crisis
- List of killed Imams and mosques attacked by bandits that led to significant loss of lives
Tinubu orders security training overhaul
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu declared an emergency on security training institutions in Nigeria.
The president's decision follows the condition of training institutions for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other internal security agencies.
Source: Legit.ng
Ridwan Adeola Yusuf (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.
Ridwan Kolawole (Oyo State Correspondent) Oyo state's regional correspondent Ridwan Kolawole has over a decade of journalism practice, covering politics, crimes/conflict, education, and social issues. For passion and knowledge mobilisation, Ridwan practices journalism and teaches it at the University of Ibadan.
