Nigerias Violent Conflicts Are About More Than Just Religion – Despite What Trump Says – thenigerianvoice.com

Report on the Complex Drivers of Violence in Nigeria and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Recent threats of foreign military intervention have drawn international attention to the violence in Nigeria, which has been framed externally as religious persecution. However, a deeper analysis reveals a multifaceted crisis with complex drivers including resource competition, governance failures, and historical grievances. This violence represents a significant impediment to Nigeria’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), but also impacts goals related to poverty, hunger, inequality, and environmental stability.

Analysis of Conflict Dynamics

A Multifaceted Crisis Beyond a Singular Narrative

The characterization of violence in Nigeria as solely an issue of Islamist extremism against Christians is a reductionist view that overlooks critical underlying factors. The conflict is driven by a combination of elements that directly challenge the integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Religious Extremism: Jihadist groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province operate primarily in the north, seeking to establish a caliphate and targeting all who oppose their ideology.
• Eco-Violence and Resource Conflict: In Nigeria’s Middle Belt, clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders are primarily driven by competition over access to land and water, a form of eco-violence exacerbated by environmental degradation and poor governance. This directly relates to SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Governance and Institutional Failures: Poor governance, corruption, inequality, and historical grievances are significant catalysts for violence across the country, highlighting a profound deficit in achieving SDG 16.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Direct Threat to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The ongoing insecurity is a direct manifestation of the failure to achieve SDG 16. The state’s inability to protect its citizens undermines peace and justice, while calls for constitutional reform point to the need for more effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

• Violence Against Civilians: Reports indicate thousands of killings and displacements annually, representing a fundamental breach of peace and security. Amnesty International attributes over 10,000 deaths in the Middle Belt to such attacks since 2023.
• Institutional Weakness: The reported failure of Nigerian security agencies to protect rural communities, even when warned of attacks, demonstrates a critical weakness in state institutions responsible for maintaining law and order.
• Access to Justice: The cycle of attacks and retaliations occurs in a climate of impunity, denying victims access to justice and perpetuating violence.
• Governance Deficit: The current constitution, a legacy of military rule, is cited as a root cause of the centralized power that fuels corruption and poor governance, thereby perpetuating the conditions for conflict.

Cascading Effects on Other SDGs

The violence creates a domino effect, severely hindering progress across a range of interconnected development goals.

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Attacks on farming communities, including the burning of homes and barns and the destruction of livestock, devastate local economies, destroy livelihoods, and severely compromise food security for millions.
2. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The conflict exacerbates existing inequalities, as marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by violence, displacement, and loss of property, deepening divisions along ethnic and economic lines.
3. SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The displacement of millions of people from their homes and the destruction of entire settlements make communities unsafe, non-inclusive, and unsustainable, creating a widespread humanitarian crisis.

Conclusion and Path Forward

The Imperative for a Nigerian-Led, SDG-Informed Solution

While international attention may catalyze action, a lasting solution to Nigeria’s insecurity must be internally driven and address the root causes of the conflict. The proposal for a new, democratically drafted constitution aligns with the principles of SDG 16, aiming to create inclusive and accountable institutions that can manage disputes peacefully and govern effectively.

Addressing the violence requires a holistic approach that moves beyond simplistic narratives. A successful strategy must integrate security responses with long-term development initiatives focused on good governance, resource management, and reducing inequality, thereby creating a sustainable foundation for peace and progress for all Nigerians.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article’s central theme is the widespread violence, conflict, and insecurity in Nigeria. It details killings by jihadist groups like Boko Haram and violent clashes between farmers and herders. It also directly addresses institutional failures, citing the “shocking failure of the country’s authorities to protect lives and property” and arguing that poor governance, corruption, and a flawed constitution are root causes of the insecurity.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article explicitly states that violence in Nigeria is driven by more than just religion, with “inequality” being a key contributing factor alongside land disputes, politics, ethnicity, and historical grievances. This points to the role of social and economic disparities in fueling conflict.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The conflict has led to the destruction of human settlements and massive population displacement. The article mentions the “burning of homes and barns,” attackers who have “taken over and resettled in captured communities,” and the displacement of millions of people by both Boko Haram (“more than 2 million others”) and in the Middle Belt (“displacement of millions of people”). This directly undermines the goal of making communities safe and resilient.
4. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The conflict in the Middle Belt is described as a violent struggle between “sedentary farmers and nomadic herders” over agricultural resources. The article notes the “destruction of settlements,” “burning of homes and barns,” and farmers destroying “herds of livestock.” This conflict directly disrupts food production systems, threatening food security for the affected communities.
5. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The article characterizes the farmer-herder conflict as “eco-violence,” where groups “clash over access to and control of water points and land.” This highlights the connection between the violence and the unsustainable management of terrestrial resources, which is a core concern of SDG 15.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The article is replete with statistics and descriptions of violence and death. It cites claims of “more than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone,” estimates that Boko Haram has “killed tens of thousands of people,” and reports from Amnesty International that “over 10,000 people have been killed” in the Middle Belt since 2023. These figures directly relate to the reduction of violent death rates.
2. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The article critiques Nigeria’s governance structure, arguing the current constitution “centralises excessive power at the federal level,” which “has fuelled corruption, nepotism and generally poor governance, resulting in the rampant insecurity.” The call for “an inclusive, democratically drafted constitution” is a direct call for more effective and accountable institutions.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… ethnicity, origin, religion or other status.
   • The analysis that violence is driven by “ethnicity, historical grievances and inequality” implies that a lack of inclusion is a fundamental cause of the conflict. Addressing these root causes is essential to achieving peace and aligns with this target.
4. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
   • The article’s description of the “displacement of millions of people,” the “burning of homes,” and the takeover of entire communities directly illustrates a crisis in safe and adequate housing caused by the conflict.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator 16.1.2: Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population.
   • The article provides multiple data points that serve as direct measures for this indicator. These include:
     • “more than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone – an average of 35 per day.”
     • Boko Haram has “killed tens of thousands of people in Nigeria since 2009.”
     • “over 10,000 people have been killed in attacks across the Middle Belt since 2023.”
     • Specific attack tolls, such as “around 200 people” killed in Yelwata village and “17 people were killed” near the Plateau and Kaduna border.
2. Number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
   • While not an official SDG indicator title, this is a critical metric for measuring the impact of conflict on communities (related to SDG 11 and SDG 16). The article explicitly mentions figures that can be used for this measure:
     • Boko Haram has “displaced more than 2 million others.”
     • Attacks in the Middle Belt have resulted in the “displacement of millions of people.”
3. Public Perception of Safety and Institutional Trust.
   • This is an implied indicator. The article notes that “Rural communities say that Nigerian security agencies often fail to protect them, even when they are warned of impending or ongoing attacks.” This reflects a low level of trust and perceived effectiveness of security institutions, which could be measured through surveys to track progress toward Target 16.6.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thenigerianvoice.com