By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The National President of Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu says Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State is partially correct by his assertion that poverty is fueling insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

He noted that fanaticism should also be blamed for the spate of insecurity in that part of the country.

Dr. Pogu who was reacting to statement in Makurdi said “to some extent he is right, for the fact that poverty allows easy recruitments for the insurgents. And because of the incentives people receive from joining insurgency.”

According to him, “insurgency initially started as attacks and eventually graduated to kidnappings, which brought lots of rewards in terms of cash and others.

“So poor people would certainly think this is a way out of poverty and would just fall for it.

“Hence to some extent the Governor is right, however you can also look at the initial driving force which is actually fanaticism.

“Fanaticism in Islam allows for people to start thinking that to be a member of an insurgency group is being a true Muslim.

“It is unfortunate that that kind of school of thought is driving so many of them especially those in the Boko Haram. But overtime people now started thinking of economic benefits.

“You raid a place, take whatever you want to take, kidnap people and force their relations to pay ransom. And of course it becomes a cheap way, though risky, of getting out of poverty.

“So the Governor’s assertion is partly correct to the extent that yes some people will join or be part of terrorists or insurgents just to get out of poverty and to make a living.”