Bomb Bid Throws Nigeria Into Terrorism Debate
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab - Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, here in Milan, Mich., was charged in federal court in December with trying to detonate an explosive device on a Dec. 25 flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. (U.S. Marshals Service / AP)
The allegations against Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the young Nigerian charged with trying to blow up a plane on Christmas Day, have placed a spotlight on predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria.
Nigerian and American analysts say Abdulmutallab's home region could be an incubator for extremism and would-be terrorists. Underprivileged young people facing social inequality, religious violence and lack of education could be vulnerable to recruitment, they say.
But the special adviser to the governor of Abdulmutallab's home state of Kaduna, Alhaja Zula'atu Shehu Bello, is skeptical that the region is a breeding ground for radicals.
(Ofeibea Quist-Arcton / NPR)
"The average Nigerian person doesn't know what al-Qaida is," Bello says. "They've never heard of any group called al-Qaida. They don't know what they do, where they are. They've never heard of them."
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for Abdulmutallab's failed alleged attempt on the Detroit-bound airliner.
Abdulmutallab grew up in an affluent family in Kaduna. But Bello says many Nigerians lack the resources to get involved with terrorism.
(Ofeibea Quist-Arcton / NPR)
"Because of the poverty here, you're trying to find what you can eat with your family, so you don't have time to start training terrorists," she says. "You don't have the time. You don't have the resources, you don't have the money."
Government Corruption, Neglect
Last month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Nigeria's leaders had failed to respond to the needs of young people. Clinton warned that Nigeria faced the threat of radicalization and extremism, and pointed to lamentable living standards and "unbelievable" corruption, as she put it, in a country that supplies the U.S. with crude oil.
Others also express concern about the inequalities that alienate Nigeria's underprivileged majority, including the large, impoverished population in the Muslim-dominated north. Analysts warn of a potentially combustible cocktail: inequality coupled with local opposition to American policies in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and other Muslim countries, as well as U.S. support for Israel.
Some prominent northern Nigerians, including former Kaduna governor and local sage Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, have put Washington on notice that Islamic fundamentalism is growing.
"America is misusing its power dangerously for the world peace," Musa says. "But let me tell you, Islamic bond in northern Nigeria, and even Islamic solidarity, is as high and sound as it can be in any Muslim country in the world. That is very, very important."
He adds: "What America sees as Islamic fundamentalism exists to a very large extent in the north — even larger than in Pakistan. If America sees this development of Islamic learning and Islamic consciousness in the north here as evidence of the existence of al-Qaida, they are making a terrible mistake — which will eventually create al-Qaida here in Nigeria."
There have been no known al-Qaida attacks in Nigeria, though the north has witnessed violent anti-government uprisings by local radical Muslim sects and periodic eruptions of religious violence.
Teaching A Peaceful Islam
Islamic education is important in northern Nigeria, where children begin learning the Quran from an early age. Women are taught how to bring up their children in Islam.
Young children, from as far away as neighboring Niger, Cameroon and Chad, attend Quranic classes. They live far away from parental guidance — nominally under the care of an imam.
Vigilance is key, says Alhaji Sambo Idris Sambo, the district head of Funtua, the ancestral hometown of Abdulmutallab.
"We really monitor most of the goings-on," Sambo says. "And if there is any teaching that is un-Islamic, we wouldn't have allowed it to continue. We are always [telling] our imams, our preachers, to be directing their sermons to the parents, so that at least they monitor their children and the youth closely — that Islam does not preach violence. Islam is for peace."
Writer and Kaduna-based human rights campaigner Shehu Sani sees the problem from a different angle.
As children head home from a nearby Quranic school, he points down the road from his house to a forlorn-looking compound where he says an active American consulate was housed until it closed its doors about 15 years ago.
Sani says Washington made a big mistake in abandoning its northern Nigeria post — as it left others to step in.
"As such, that vacuum has now been filled by countries from the Middle East that are coming here, giving scholarships to groups and individuals to study in Yemen, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan," Sani says. "[They are] making a very strong presence in the northern part of Nigeria, in terms of opening affiliate offices, and engaging organizations and groups here. And I believe that U.S. can win the hearts of people here by restoring such programs as it used to do in the '70s and '80s."
Sani says such a move would likely reduce the anti-American foreign policy sentiment in northern Nigeria that is currently fueled by the continuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
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MELISSA BLOCK, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.
We begin this hour with an NPR News investigation. As part of our series Going Radical, we've been retracing the steps of terrorism suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He is the Nigerian charged with trying to blow up a U.S. passenger plane on Christmas Day. In a moment, we'll hear from the young man who sat next to him on that flight to Detroit. But first, the allegations against Abdulmutallab have shown a light on predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria, his home region, and whether it has become an incubator for extremism.
NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.
OFEIBEA QUIST-ARCTON: After the arrest of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in the U.S. on terrorism related charges, northern Nigerians were vocal in their thoughts about whether their region could be breeding terrorists.
Mr. ALHAJA ZULA'ATU SHEHU BELLO (Special Advisor, Governor of Kaduna): Because of the poverty we have here, you're trying to find what you can eat with your family, so you don't have time to start training terrorists. You don't have the time.
QUIST-ARCTON: Alhaja Zula'atu Shehu Bello is the special advisor to the governor of Kaduna, Abdulmutallab's home state where he grew up in an affluent family. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for his failed alleged attempt on the U.S. passenger airliner.
Ms. BELLO: The average Nigerian person never heard of any group called al-Qaida. They don't know what they do. They've never heard of them.
QUIST-ARCTON: Last month, the U.S. secretary of State said Nigeria's leaders had failed to respond to the needs of young people. Hillary Clinton warned that Nigeria faced the threat of radicalization. She pointed to what she called lamentable living standards and unbelievable corruption in this country that supplies the U.S. with crude oil. Analysts warn of a potentially combustible cocktail of northern Nigeria's alienated and impoverished majority coupled with local opposition to American policies in Islamic countries and U.S. support for Israel. They say this makes this region ripe for al-Qaida and other anti-American extremist groups hunting for recruits. Following the bungled Christmas Day attack, the U.S. placed Nigeria on a watch list requiring tighter security and airport screening. Some prominent northern Nigerians, including former Kaduna governor and local sage Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, put Washington on notice.
Mr. ABDULKADIR BALARABE MUSA (Former Governor, Kaduna): America is misusing its power dangerously. But let me tell you, what America sees as Islamic fundamentalism exist to a very large extent in the north. If America sees this as evidence of the existence of al-Qaida, they're making a terrible mistake which will eventually create al-Qaida here.
QUIST-ARCTON: There have been no known al-Qaida attacks in Nigeria, though the north has witnessed violent anti-government uprisings by local radical Muslim sects and periodic eruptions of religious violence.
Unidentified Woman: Good morning. How are you?
Unidentified Group: How are you?
QUIST-ARCTON: Of concern to local and foreign observers are the thousands of Quranic schools in this region that are hard to regulate.
Unidentified Group: (Foreign language spoken)
QUIST-ARCTON: Islamic education is important in northern Nigeria and begins at an early age. Women such as these at the Chanchangi Institute in Kaduna are taught how to bring up their children correctly in Islam.
Unidentified Group: (Foreign language spoken)
QUIST-ARCTON: This (unintelligible) is respected throughout the region and young children from as far away as neighboring Niger, Cameroon, and Chad attend Quranic schools like this one. These children, an hour's drive from Kaduna, are reciting the Quran. There are score of them here, far away from parental guidance, nominally under the care of an imam. Vigilance is a key, says Alhaji Sambo Idris Sambo, the district head of Funtua, the ancestral hometown of the terror suspect Abdulmutallab. He says they would not allow any school to teach un-Islamic values.
Mr. ALHAJI SAMBO IDRIS SAMBO (District Head, Funtua): We know our schools, especially the Islamic schools because we really monitor most of the goings-on. And if there is any teaching that un-Islamic rule wouldn't have allowed it to continue. Islam does not preach violence. Islam is for peace.
QUIST-ARCTON: Writer and Kaduna-based human rights campaigner Shehu Sani looks at this problem from a different angle.
(Soundbite of crowd)
QUIST-ARCTON: As children head home from a nearby Quranic school, he points down the road from his house to a forlorn-looking compound where he says an active American consulate used to be until it closed its doors about 15 years ago. Sani said with its influential presence, Washington made a big mistake abandoning its northern Nigeria post leaving others to step in.
Mr. SHEHU SANI (Writer and Human Rights Campaigner): And as such that vacuum has now been filled by countries from the Middle East that are coming here, giving scholarships to groups and individuals to study in Yemen, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan. And I believe that U.S. can win the hearts of people here by restoring such programs that it used to do in the '70s and '80s. Centers that will educate and enlighten people will be a very strong way.
QUIST-ARCTON: Sani said such a move would likely reduce anti-American foreign policy sentiment in northern Nigeria.
Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
