A social commentator, identified as Mallam Jabir, has drawn attention to the deepening insecurity in Northern Nigeria, attributing it to systemic neglect, corruption, and parental irresponsibility rather than mere poverty or illiteracy.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Mallam Jabir argued that many of today’s terrorists and bandits were once innocent children abandoned on the streets due to their parents’ inability to cater for them. He warned that the continued cycle of neglect was fueling the rise of violent groups across the region.
“Many of today’s criminals were once innocent children, neglected on the streets because their parents couldn’t cater for them, and that’s how they ended up being recruited into terrorism,” he wrote.
He blamed politicians for creating the poverty and hopelessness that have driven many young people into crime, accusing them of diverting public funds meant for education, healthcare, and job creation.
“Who created this poverty? Who stole the money meant for education, healthcare, and jobs? The same politicians who now move around with police escorts and private jets, while millions of children wander hungry and hopeless,” he said.
Jabir further criticised traditional and religious leaders for their silence in the face of generational decay, noting that many parents continue to give birth to children they cannot feed, educate, or guide with no intervention from the government.
“The North is bleeding because the government failed to invest in its people,” he lamented, warning that the region risks facing an unimaginable disaster in the next few decades if urgent measures are not taken.
He urged northern leaders, parents, and the public to prioritise education, family planning, and youth empowerment to prevent what he described as a looming catastrophe.
“If something drastic is not done now, if we don’t educate, empower, and plan our families in the next 25 to 30 years, this region will face a disaster beyond imagination because we are not just raising children anymore, we are raising time bombs,” he warned.
Jabir concluded his post with a call to action: “We must act now or regret our actions.”
