As Nigeria continues to struggle with one of its worst security challenges in history, various issues have been identified as responsible for the crisis.
Some of these include illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, politics, ethnicity, regionalism, bad governance, corruption and others.
There's also the allegation that even those tasked with the responsibility of fighting insecurity in the country, do not want it to end because the situation has been turned into a lucrative business.
This allegation is championed by a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalung, who said the rate at which crimes are being perpetuated in the country without prosecution, shows crime has been informally legalized under the current government.
Dalung who made the statement in an interview with Nigeria Tribune, said crime has been commercialized by powerful individuals in the country whom he described as 'conflict entrepreneurs'. He said these individuals are not doing enough to end insecurity because they are benefitting from the terrible situation.
He said, "I think there is one thing Nigerians have not understood about the ongoing security situation: there is an emergence of conflict entrepreneurs, those benefiting from the security situation.
"You have them within the system, those who benefit from the security budget and are unwilling to allow the situation to end. We have merchants of weapons, who are making heavy businesses out of the pathetic security situation. You have unemployed youths who are now recruited either as actors or promoters. This is just like an entrepreneur; it is an economy to these people.
"The political economy of the crisis itself is challenge number one and also the inability of the state to discharge its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties has compounded the entire situation.
"We kept receiving assurances from the government and security agencies about putting in their best. Their best has not been good enough, because the situation keeps degenerating on a daily basis with emerging new trends in criminalities.
"I think the relationship between the state that is responsible, the emerging political economy of conflict entrepreneurs and the recruitment of the unemployed youthful populations and their manipulation and engagement in sustaining this crisis is the serious situation we are dealing with," he added.
However, to the deputy governor of Oyo State, Mr Rauf Olaniyan, Nigeria’s problems cannot be dissociated with religion.
Speaking as a special guest of honour at the maiden Ramadan lecture of the Ibadan Social Group, Olaniyan said there's that belief that one religion is superior than the other, or that one is trying to eliminate the other in the country. He said unless Nigerians accept that both religion are one and the same, our problems as a nation, won't end.
“Both religions are the same. No religion is superior to the other. We need to embrace peace and orderliness," he added.