Battle Lines Terror insurgency or Christian genocide? Inside Nigeria’s security crisis
Dec 3, 2025
Nigeria is in the throes of a severe security crisis, with rampant violence and mass kidnappings affecting communities. Recent high-profile abductions raise alarms about the use of victims as human shields. Expert Chi Lael sheds light on the alarming growth of extremist groups and the resulting food insecurity impacting millions. Reports of daily attacks on farmers heighten concerns over agricultural production. The conversation also touches on the complex motives behind the violence and the urgent need for humanitarian aid amidst political inaction.
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Spiralling Attacks Drive Regional Instability
- Attacks in northern Nigeria have surged and now disrupt daily life and regional stability.
- Chi Lael warns this violence is driving food insecurity and cross-border instability into the Sahel.
Mothers Resorting To Survival Sex
- Chi Lael described meeting mothers forced into survival sex to feed their children after losing farms.
- She emphasised there was no shame because it was necessary for survival.
Farmers' Insecurity Threatens National Food Supply
- Farmers face daily attacks that prevent them reaching fields, directly reducing national food production.
- Chi Lael notes if the North stops producing, Nigeria will struggle to feed its 230 million people.