VDM: Only Education Can End Northern Nigeria’s Terrorism Crisis

Popular Nigerian social critic Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has suggested what he describes as the “only solution” to the nation’s severe security challenges, particularly the persistent problem of terrorism.

Dependable NG reports that VDM posted a video clip on his official Facebook page on Monday, where he placed the blame for the worsening crisis squarely on the lack of widespread education, particularly within the northern region of the country.

The social commentator claimed that the majority of those perpetrating terrorism in Nigeria originate from the North, arguing forcefully that education is the crucial tool needed to draw young men away from isolated rural areas and steer them away from criminal activities.

He stated, underscoring his primary solution: “The only solution to terrorism is to educate the Northerners. Any Nigerian leader that will take four years out of his eight years to educate the North, force education on them have solved terrorism problems.”

VDM elaborated on the critical role of knowledge: “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.”

He used an extreme hypothetical example to illustrate the vulnerability caused by the lack of education: “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.”