Terrorism: When Nigeria Defends the Terrorists, and Blames the Victims: A Nation Turning Its Back on the Innocent
- SitiTalkBlog
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
For too long, Nigeria has been trapped in a tragic and baffling cycle—one where terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers are subtly, sometimes openly, defended, while their victims are blamed, silenced, or ignored. This disturbing reversal of justice is not only immoral; it is dangerous. It erodes trust in government, weakens national unity, and destroys the hope of millions who simply want to live in peace.
A Nation Where Victims Become Suspects
In regions ravaged by violence—Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Taraba, Borno—countless communities have watched in disbelief as the narrative shifts from justice for the slain to sympathy for the killers. Instead of condemning the atrocities, some government officials, spokespersons, and security leaders offer excuses:
“They were fighting for their land.”
“They are seeking greener pastures.”
“It was a misunderstanding between farmers and herders.”
“We must negotiate with them; they are our brothers.”
“The villagers provoked them.”
These are not explanations—these are justifications.
Meanwhile, the grieving families are interrogated instead of comforted. Survivors are asked why they didn’t flee earlier. Entire communities are scolded for “retaliation” when all they did was defend themselves from extermination.
The Tragic Normalization of Terror
Terrorism in Nigeria has been normalized through language and policy. Deadly criminal gangs are sanitized with phrases like:
“Unknown gunmen” – Alleged to have been created by the Nigerian Government under the late President Muhammadu Buhari using a South-south (Niger Delta0 Nigeria armed militant group. As alleged, “Unknown gunmen” were let lose in the South-east region where they massacred hundreds of Igbos suspected to be members of a separatist group in Nigeria, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that aims to restore the defunct Republic of Biafra as an independent nation from Nigeria.
“Bandits”
“Non-state actors” (may or may not be sponsored by state actors)
“Once terrorists who became repentant but returned to being terrorists” (aka “Repentant Boko Haram”) are lumped under “bandits.”
Killer Fulani terrorists who are deliberately protected by the government by referring to them as”bandits.
All other Islamic criminals in Norther Nigeria who roam the country committing heinous crimes such as kidnapping for a ransom, rape, brutal murders
These soft labels deliberately hide the brutality of the crimes committed—massacres, kidnappings, rape, burning of homes, and targeted ethnic or religious cleansing (i.e. Christian genocide). It has been alleged that some of the so-called “repentant Boko Haram” were drafted into the Nigerian military
When a nation becomes more eager to “understand” the motives of terrorists than to seek justice for victims, something is fundamentally broken.
Negotiating With Killers But Not Consoling Victims
It has become common to see governments at state and national levels negotiating with criminal warlords—sometimes offering amnesty, money, or political relevance.
Yet, the same government cannot provide:
Justice for murdered villagers
Compensation for communities wiped out
Rehabilitation for displaced families
Protection for schools and highways
Accountability for complicit officials
The message this sends is chilling:Crime pays more than innocence. Violence is rewarded more than obedience to the law.
The Psychological Damage to the Nation
Every time a terrorist is defended, Nigeria’s moral fabric tears a little more. Citizens begin to lose faith:
Faith in the security forces
Faith in the judiciary
Faith in political leaders
Faith in the promise of democracy
How can a country move forward when its citizens feel unprotected, unheard, and undervalued?
Victim-Blaming: A Silent Weapon of Oppression
Victim-blaming is not just insensitive—it is a weapon. It shifts accountability away from the perpetrators and places it unjustly on the innocent.
Examples abound:
When schoolchildren are abducted, some say the parents were careless.
When Christian communities are attacked, some claim they “exaggerated the deaths.”
When villages are slaughtered, some accuse locals of “provoking the attackers.”
When farmers are killed, they are blamed for “trespassing.”
This is psychological violence against people already traumatized by physical violence.
A Nation That Cannot Name Its Enemies Cannot Defeat Them
Nigeria must confront an uncomfortable truth:The refusal to call terror by its name is a deliberate political strategy.
Why?
Because naming the perpetrators means:
Admitting complicity
Holding powerful networks accountable
Acknowledging the religious, ethnic, and economic motivations behind attacks
Taking real action instead of issuing empty statements
Silence protects criminals. Clarity threatens them.
It Is Time to Stand With the Victims—Not Their Killers
Nigeria cannot continue like this. A nation that protects terrorists while blaming victims is a nation sabotaging its own future.
What must change?
Condemn terrorists unequivocally—no more excuses.
Name the killers boldly—no more hiding behind vague labels.
Hold government officials and military officers accountable for negligence or complicity.
Center the victims—tell their stories, honor their pain, and support their recovery.
Build a justice system where life matters, and terror does not go unpunished.
Conclusion: Choosing Sides
Every country in crisis must decide who it will defend:
The innocent
Or the bloodthirsty
The grieving
Or the killers
The lawful
Or the lawless
Nigeria stands at a moral crossroads. The time for ambiguity is over.
A nation that excuses terror becomes a hostage to terror.A nation that defends its victims becomes a defender of justice.
The choice must be made—boldly, urgently, and without compromise.
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