…nations across the Sahel often endure poor harvests and famine as a consequence of natural forces — chief among them desertification. History offers even starker examples, such as the devastating famine in Ethiopia during the 1980s, when environmental stress combined with structural weaknesses to produce humanitarian catastrophe… Nigeria’s case, however, is more troubling. Our crisis is not prima...
The narrative presents a compelling case that banditry in Nigeria has transcended traditional criminality to become a sophisticated conflict economy, intertwining agricultural extortion with illegal mining. The strongest version of this argument highlights the systemic nature of the crisis, where armed groups not only disrupt farming but also control mineral extraction, creating a self-sustaining cycle of violence and economic exploitation. The article effectively underscores the human cost—aban...