The politicisation of security: When insecurity becomes an instrument of political contestation, By Akin Olukiran

The instrumentalisation of insecurity for partisan political ends, evolving from the mobilisation of street violence to the far more pernicious realms of terrorism and organised kidnapping, constitutes a profound pathology within Nigeria’s democratic landscape and poses a direct threat to the legitimacy of the state itself. It reflects a profound degeneration of political ethics, wherein the sanctity of human life is subordinated to the ruthless pursuit of power and partisan advantage. In such circumstances, violence ceases to be an unfortunate consequence of instability and instead becomes a calculated instrument of political strategy.