Nigerian social commentator, Martins Vincent Otse popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) has stated that the country will continue to battle insecurity unless urgent steps are taken to overhaul education, especially in the North.
In a new video shared on Monday on his Facebook page, VDM argued that the current fight against terrorism will remain difficult because many young people in the northern region have limited access to quality schooling.
According to him, the absence of formal education leaves thousands of youths vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.
The activist explained that Nigeria cannot win the war on terrorism through force alone.
He insisted that the government must prioritise education as a long-term strategy, describing it as the only sustainable solution to the country’s growing security challenges.
VDM stated that “the only solution to terrorism is to educate the Northerners,” stressing that a leader willing to dedicate a significant portion of his tenure to compulsory education in the North would record major progress in ending the crisis.
He added that knowledge would help redirect many young men from the forests and away from violent activities.
According to him, the continuous manipulation of uneducated youths by a few educated individuals would persist if nothing changes.
In his words, “Let them have the knowledge because knowledge is power. Until then, Nigeria may suffer more in years to come. They don’t go to school in the North, rather they study religion. That is why the fewer people that are educated keep using the uneducated as their weapons.”
VDM also noted that terrorism thrives because large numbers of idle young people remain on the streets without education or opportunities.
Using an illustration, he said it would take little effort for anyone with malicious intent to gather thousands of such vulnerable youths.
He said: “If I want to start terrorism today, I will go to Madugri, Zamfara or somewhere. If you go to the North, you see a lot of young people in the streets begging. You can easily pack ten thousand of them and bring them to Abuja.”
The social critic’s comments have since generated discussions online, with many Nigerians expressing concern over the persistent educational gap between regions and how it affects national security.