In Nigeria, Wedlock Seen as Terror Fix

“That will assist very well toward eradicating these social vices,” said Nabahan Usman, deputy commander of special services at the Kano State Hizbah Board. “When you have a good wife, why should you think of going for terrorism?”

It is a tried if not a true path to peace. India’s government offered wedding packages to Maoist rebels, and Yemen extended the same to captured al Qaeda suspects there. Both insurgencies have endured.

Some are skeptical Nigeria will fare any better. “It’s a bit of a form of magical thinking,” said Steven Pierce, a University of Manchester professor of Nigerian history.

Still, after standing by as nearly 4,000 people have died in the conflict between Nigeria’s secular government and Boko Haram, Islamic bureaucrats like Mr. Usman are trying more-creative solutions, such as weddings, drawn from a blend of socialism and political Islam that has long guided policy in Nigeria’s north, where Kano is seated.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *