Why Violent Groups May Thrive —Fayemi

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria, has said that violent organisations such as Boko Haram, may continue to thrive if poverty and inequality in the country are not alleviated.

Speaking with reporters yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Fayemi said that insecurity may continue to grow in Nigeria as long as abject poverty lies beside inexplicable wealth. “I think what makes these things (insecurity) much more difficult are when abject poverty lies beside inexplicable wealth. We must do everything to narrow the gap between abject poverty and unexplained wealth in our society.

“I am not saying that people join Boko Haram because they are poor, but there are a lot of unwilling participants in Boko Haram that find their way into Boko Haram because of the inequality in the society,” Fayemi said. The governor said that while we must have a law and order response, we must also have a social security response.

—Simon Ateba