Religious violence in contemporary Nigeria

Abstract

IntroductionThere is no disputing in the fact that the problem of religious violence casts a serious doubt to the stability order of the country. This is because without doubt, the country has recorded very bizarre experiences in the domain of religious violence (Ikenah-Metuh 1994:2; Ogege 2001: 23-26). Some of the prominent examples include those of the Kasuwan Magani in 1980, Zango Kataf and Gure-Kahugu in 1987, Kafanchan and Lere in 1987, Ilorin and Jerein 1989, Tafawa Balewa in 1991 as well as that of Zango Kataf in 1992 (Eniola 2010: 77-81; Teehan 2010: 145-147). The category of conflicts exists mostly in the Northern part of the country where the main protagonists are Hausa/Fulani Muslims and Christian ethnic minorities. The 'pagan question' it has been argued, seems to play a major role in creating a climate of suspicion and intolerance among the groups (Sulaiman, 2015: 111-120; Eniola 2010: 7781).For instance, the religious crises in Kafanchan in 1987 which started from the College of Education was precipitated on 6th March by what was considered as blasphemous remarks when a convert from Islam to Christianity was said to have misinterpreted the Holy Qur'an while preaching. This led to a fight between the Christians and the Muslims on the campus. Later it was spread to the Kafanchan town as well as other six towns in Kaduna State: Kastina, Funtua, Zaria, Kankia, Daura and Kaduna. In the process, hundreds of people were killed, many Churches and Mosques were set ablaze, and hotels were destroyed, altogether resulting in massive destruction of people and property (Obioha 1999: 45; Eniola 2010: 77-81). Also, the April 1991 violence in Tafawa Balewa was also precipitated by a quarrel in the market between a Christian butcher and some Hausa/Fulani people. In the ensuring impasse, many Muslims were killed. On carrying the corpse from Tafawa Balewa to Bauchi town a reprisal was launched on the Christians in the town. This led to the massacre of many Christian settlers in the town. The invitation of the army to restore order only worsened the situation as a result of series of massacres in which thousands of people were alleged to have been killed' (Alanamu 2005 : 165- 170; Armstrong 2014:10).Likewise, the genesis of the Zango-Kataf crisis of 1992 was in January 1992 when the Kataf controlled Local Government Council decreed that the market would be moved out of the Zango on February 6, 1992. This immediately led to the attack of the Zango community and killing of many of the Kataf people. This later assumed a religious dimension and spread to Kaduna and Zaria resulting into attack and counter attack. The resulting effect was series of massacre in which thousands of people were killed. What started as an inter-ethnic conflict soon widened into a national crisis with religious dimensions (Egwu 2001: 10-12; Ademola 2006: 33).Also, one very serious dimension of religious crisis was the upsurge of movement known as Yan tatsini popularly known as Maitatsine. This group was notorious for inflicting severe religious violence on the people in Northern part of the country. Between 1979 and 1983, two Maitatsine uprisings occurred. The classic case was the Kano uprising of 1980 which left between 4,000 - 6,000 people dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed. It was after the intervention of the army and the air force that the 11 days riots were finally quelled (Olupona 1992 :23-27; Rowley 2014: 361-402).Again, in year 2000, many killings were recorded from religious disturbances. From February 21 to 22, an estimated 3,000 people lost their lives in a clash between Muslims and Christians in Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna State. There was a reprisal attack in Aba, Abia State and about 450 persons were killed (Olukorede 2002: 8). The riot was initially sparked up by the introduction of Islamic criminal law in some northern states. Also, from May 22 and 23, Kaduna was again brought to its knee when Muslims and Christians clashed. …