By Cookey Mba
Popular Nigerian social critic and content creator, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has weighed in on Nigeria’s lingering security challenges, suggesting what he described as the “only lasting solution” to terrorism and violent extremism in the country.
In a video shared on his official Facebook page on Monday, VDM attributed the deepening insecurity to long standing gaps in access to quality education, particularly in some parts of Northern Nigeria. He argued that expanding educational opportunities could significantly reduce the number of young people vulnerable to criminal exploitation.
According to him, prioritising and enforcing mass education would help redirect youths from environments where they can be recruited for terrorism and other crimes.
He said: “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 and enforce education would have solved the terrorism problem.
Let them have knowledge, because knowledge is power. Until then, Nigeria may continue to suffer.”
VDM further claimed that low literacy rates have made some youths susceptible to manipulation by extremist groups, noting that many young people in impoverished communities lack access to formal schooling.
He added that without proactive intervention, criminal networks would continue to lure vulnerable individuals into forests and conflict zones with ease.
His comments have sparked discussions online, with many Nigerians debating the role of education, poverty alleviation, and governance in addressing the country’s long standing security problems.
