


































AQUINO VOLUME3 ISSUE 2 DECEMBER 2023


Abstract

This paper looks at religious violence and its implications for peaceful co-existence in 
Nigeria. To this end, the discourse begins by investigating the causes and implications of 
religious violence for a peaceful co-existence among the adherents of different religious 
beliefs in Nigeria. The possible ways of mitigating religious violence and the prospect of 
ending this conundrum are equally examined. Applying the narrative and analytical tool, 
the study depends completely on written sources which comprise of documents, 
monographs, manuscripts, books and book chapters, journal articles as well as 
magazines. As deduced from previous studies, the religious violence in Nigeria has 
claimed many lives and property worth billions of Naira have been lost to this monster 
called religious violence. It is argued here that proper education, tolerance, religious 
dialogue and reconciliation, to mention but a few, serve as potent avenues with which to 
douse the phenomenon of religious violence in Nigeria. The deliberate application of the 
aforementioned will undoubtedly, ensure peaceful co-existence of Christians, Muslims, 
Traditionalists and members of other religions as a panacea for peaceful co-existence in 
Nigeria. Invariably, this paper concludes by stating that peaceful co-existence of all 
religious adherents in Nigeria would indeed help in the restoration of peace, security, 
growth and stability of the Nigerian nation.

Keywords: Religious Violence, Peaceful Co-existence, Remedial Solutions, Nigerian 
Nation

Introduction
Looking at religious violence and its implications for peaceful co-existence in Nigeria, 
this discourse begins by investigating the causes and implications of religious violence 
for a peaceful co-existence among the adherents of different religious beliefs in Nigeria. 
According to Kamal-deen Olawale Sulaiman (Kamal-deen 2016), there is no 
disputing in the fact that the problem of religious violence casts a serious doubt to the 
order, progress and stability of the country. This is because the country has recorded very 
bizarre experiences in the domain of religious violence (Ikenah-Metuh 1994:2; Ogege 
2001: 23-26; Kanu 2017: 31-40). A time line of some of the prominent examples may be 
necessary here; these 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: 

RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AND CO-EXISTENCE IN NIGERIA

Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, PhD
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Tansian University Umunya, Anambra State.
ikee_mario@yahoo.com

&
Mike Boni Bazza, PhD

Department of History and International Relations
Veritas University Abuja.

          bazzam@veritas.edu.ng

14



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).

Just like the recent lynching and eventual burning to ashes of Deborah Yakubu, a second 
year Christian college student who was killed by a mob of Muslim students in Sokoto, 
after being accused of blasphemy (The Punch, 12 May, 2022), we can go far back in 
history to the religious crises in Kafanchan in 1987, which started from the College of 
Education Gidan Waya for example, 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 Kafanchan town as well 
as six other towns in the old Kaduna State, namely: 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; Kanu 2017: 300-310). Also, 
the April 1991 violence in Tafawa Balewa (Bauchi State) 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).
In the year 2001, the religious clash between Muslims and Christians in the same Tafawa 
Balewa local government area of Bauchi State, this began on June 19 and ended on July 4, 
resulted in the death of over 100 persons (Alanamu 2005: 165- 170; Odey 1999: 21-14).
In like manner, the Zango-Kataf crisis of January 1992 started when the Kataf controlled 
Local Government Council decreed that the market would be moved out of 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. Consequently, this led to attack and counter attack and 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).

Another 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 

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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 (Sharia law) in some northern 
states. Between May 22 and 23, Kaduna was again brought to its knee when Muslims and 
Christians clashed. Over 300 lives were lost (Olukorede 2002: 8; Kanu 2016: 3).

In November 2002, religious violence again rocked the city of Kaduna after an English 
Newspaper, This Day, made a disparaging remark about Prophet Muhammad (SAW). 
The remark was made in the context of an international beauty pageant being staged in the 
country. Many Muslim organizations and some political leaders had objected to the 
holding of the Miss World Contest in Nigeria. Members of a militant Muslim grouping 
had gone on the rampage in Kaduna, targeting churches and private property, a day after 
the report appeared. The rioting briefly spread to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The 
newspaper has since tendered an unconditional apology and the author of the article was 
ordered to resign.

There was also a violent reaction from the minority groups. More than 200 people lost 
their lives and thousands were rendered homeless (Cherian 1995: 12-13; Sulaiman 
2014c: 18-35). Plateau State particularly, has been a theatre of war, as a result of frequent 
ethno-religious crises in virtually all parts of the state; apart from massive killings of 
innocent people, there were systematic humiliation, wanton destruction and large scale 
displacement of people which had changed the sobriquet of Plateau from 'Home of Peace 
and Tourism' (Shobayo 2004:10). Plateau war started as a conflict between those that 
considered themselves the indigines and their seemingly settlers. However, in the year 
2001, religious undertone crept in, thus by September 2001, Jos experienced an eruption 
of violence, which was unprecedented. Between September 7 and 12, over 500 persons 
were killed. About 1,000 others were injured (Onyeka-Ben et al. 2004: 12; Kanu, 
Omojola, Bazza 2019: 1-13).

th
Adamawa State has also had its own share of religious conflict, on the 8  of June 2004, 
religious violence erupted in Numan town, headquarters of Numan Local Government 
Area of the State, leaving more than 17 persons dead and some worship centers destroyed. 
The violence was believed to be the climax of two weeks of tensed relations between the 
native Bachama Christians and the local Muslim community over the location of the 
town's central Mosque, a few yards away front the Bachama paramount ruler's place 
(Alanamu 2005: 170177). The reconstruction of the Mosque, which was destroyed during 
a similar religious clash in the town in the year 2003, had ignited passions among the 
native Christians who thought that building the Mosque's minaret higher than the Hama 
Bachama' s (Bachama paramount ruler) palace was an assertion of dominance in the town 
(Murray & Ajose 2004: 6; Mustapha 2004: 23-25).

Clarification of key Concepts
Violence: Violence is defined by the World Health Organization as the intentional use of 
physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a 
group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, 
death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation (Dogo 2003: 33-37; 

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Religious Violence and Co-Existence in Nigeria      -    Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu & Mike Boni Bazza



Wellman and Tokuno 2004: 29; Fox 2004b:3-5). This definition associates intentionality 
with the committing of the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it produces.

Also, violence or a violent act involves threat or actual execution of acts which have 
actual or potential capacity to inflict physical, emotional or psychological injury on a 
person or a group of persons (Short & Wolfgang 1972: 41-43; Cavanaugh 2009: 272). 
Violent act ranges from trivial assaults to mass murder and takes place in public, in the 
home, in the workplace, in clubs, schools and on the road where 'road rage' has recently 
become yet another manifestation of the assumed spread of violence (Short & Wolfgang 
1972: 41- 43: Fox 2004a:1-2).

However, violence is inevitable when accommodative structures break down (Punch 
Editorial May 17, 2004:6). Violence is best explained relative to its etymology to violate 
(Yahaya 2009: 43-50). The basic issue about violence is that somebody is been violated. 
From the above views, the extended definition of violence enables us regard any action 
that infringes upon the rights of citizens as constituting violence.

Religion: Religion, unlike other disciplines like Music, Geography, History, 
Mathematics, Chemistry and a host of others, has no universally acceptable and 
satisfactory definition. Religion is looked at from different perspectives based on the 
angle which one understands it. It originates from the Latin words: relegere (to unite or 
link) and religio (relationship, bond) (Kanu 2015: 1-22; Sani 2007:12; Fox 2002: 415-
434). It therefore means a link or a relationship between man and a being that exists which 
is greater than man. Man and religion are inseparable in all human cultures.
However, according to Webster's Dictionary of English Language, religion refers to 
man's expression of his acknowledgement of the divine or a system of belief and practices 
relating to the sacred and uniting its adherents in communities. This shows that religion 
focuses on what is ultimate or absolute and taught of worship. Therefore, relationships 
between the transcendent and men demands total submission and an absolute obedience 
(Short & Wolfgang 1972: 41-43; Juergensmeyer 2004: 23).
Similarly, religion is a system of symbols which act to establish powerful, pervasive and 
long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order 
of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods 
and motivations seem uniquely realistic (Peter 1998: 10-17; Tanner 2007: 5-6).
Religion also, is the consciousness of one's dependence on transcendent being and the 
tendency to worship Him. It is a body of truths, laws and rites by which man is 
subordinated to the transcendent Being (Adeniyi 1993: 12-18; Juergensmeyer 2001: 13-
23).

Religious Violence: From the aforementioned perspectives, Religious Violence may be 
described briefly as the threat or actual implementation of acts which have potential 
capacity to inflict physical, emotional or psychological injury on a person or a group of 
persons for religious ends. The perpetrators of religious violence often represent or act in 
the name of a particular religious cause. Religious violence is also defined as a term that 
covers phenomena where religion is either the subject or object of violent behavior 
(Wellman & Tokuno 2004: 291.). Religious violence is, specifically, violence that is 

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motivated by or in reaction to religious precepts, texts, or doctrines. This includes 
violence against religious institutions, people, objects, or when the violence is motivated 
to some degree by some religious aspect of the target or precept of the attacker. Religious 
violence does not refer exclusively to acts committed by religious groups, but also 
includes acts committed by secular groups against religious groups.

Causes of Religious Violence in Nigeria
Having attempted to clarify some conceptual issues on the subject of this research paper, 
the following discussion will now focus on the causes of religious violence in Nigeria. 
These causes differ from one environment to another. In Nigeria, certain constant factors 
breed and nurture religious violence with obvious consequences on the stability order of 
the citizens. On the basis of the foregoing, a number of factors can be identified to be 
reasons responsible for incessant religious violence in Nigeria, among which are as 
follows:

The Theological Factor
As it were, all religions involve specific intellectual beliefs. Each has a number of 
literatures held especially sacred which contain historical materials with which the 
validity of the doctrines are connected as well as their modes of propagation. However, 
owing to lack of in-depth understanding, outright ignorance, misinterpretation or cheer 
mischief, scriptural texts have been given whimsical and capricious interpretations 
towards predetermined ends. Such actions have often sparked off emotional responses 
and violence among the adherents of the various religions in Nigeria (Ekwenife 1993: 10-
16; Nayak 2008: 273 -291). In a situation like this, missionary workers should distinguish 
between missionary work and conversion work because religious propagation is being 
altered by social and political changes and most importantly by worldwide mental 
revolution.

Religious Intolerance
Religious intolerance is a blind and fixated mental and psychological negative attitude 
towards religious beliefs and practices that are contrary to one's cherished beliefs and 
practices (Balogun1988: 23 - 30). Such negative attitudes constantly manifest themselves 
in violent outburst that spill over the political and economic lives of the citizens. The 
inability to recognize and accommodate views and opinions of others is therefore, one of 
the major sources of religious violence in Nigeria. Nigerian religious adherents, 
especially the Muslims and the Christians have demonstrated intolerant attitudes to result 
to violence.

Religious Fanaticism
Religious fanaticism, in this context, can be seen as a violent and unreasoning religious 
enthusiasm. Religious fanatics show excessive irrational zeal to defend their religions in 
Nigeria; consequently, they become destructive agents of religious disharmony in the 
society (Balogun 1988: 23- 30; Sulaiman 2014a: 6378). The adherents of Christians and 
Muslims are at one stage or another influenced by fanaticism to result to violent 
confrontation.

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Religious Violence and Co-Existence in Nigeria      -    Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu & Mike Boni Bazza



Unbridled Action of the Press
The traditional function of the press in any society is to inform, entertain and educate. 
Under no circumstances is the press expected to misinform, mis-entertain and mis-
educate people. The mass media practitioners ought to be cautioned in their reports on 
sensitive issues that could threaten stability order in the society. In Nigeria, experience 
has shown that the mass media reports, news analysis and features are capable of playing 
a positive or negative role in the relationship between religious adherents, particularly 
Muslims and Christians depending on the intention and orientation of the journalist 
concerned. More often than not the actions or reactions of the Muslims to Christian's 
action or vice versa are determined by the mass media reports (Bashir 2002: 23- 30). 
The press on many occasions in Nigeria have fanned the embers of disunity through junk 
journalism and sensational headlines (Bashir 2002: 27- 29). Such negative and 
sensational press reports and news analysis often breed religious violence. For example, 
the demonstration led by Mallam Yakubu Yahaya which resulted to a riot in Katsina in 
April 1991. The demonstration which led to riot was caused by an article titled: “would 
you marry a known prostitute turned born again?” Published in Fun Times, written by 
Orlando Emmanuel Giwa Atanda. In this article, the personalities of both Jesus Christ and 
Prophet Muhammad were ridiculed (Dauda 1993: 20-26). The role played by the press in 
the year 1987 Kafanchan riot was also negative. Members of the public were grossly 
misinformed by the press which created a crisis between Muslims and Christians 
(Bidmos 1993: 32-39; Sulaiman & Ojo 2013: 21-38). Even as at today, the unbridled 
actions of Nigeria press towards national issues like Sharia and other sensitive religious 
issues are capable of causing violence.

Aggressive or Militant Preaching/Evangelism
This means an offensive or coercive approach to conversion and propagation of one's 
religious faith. This happens when any religious group or individual preachers within that 
group set out to convert those they consider infidels or ' pagans' to their own religious 
system.

Poverty
The problem of poverty, especially in the urban areas apparently accounts for the bulk of 
violence (whether ethnic or religious) due to such problems as unemployment, 
inadequate housing, physical and social infrastructures (Obateru 1994: 32-35; Sulaiman 
& Ojo 2013: 21-38). The current depression in the Nigerian economy must have 
worsened the problem of poverty, thereby partly responsible for the creation of religious 
violence.
Also, poverty creates societal problems particularly when many people cannot afford 
their needs like shelter, clothing and feeding. Since Nigeria lacks structural economy to 
cater for large population the resultant poverty creates societal problems. Extremely poor 
people can do anything to sustain themselves. Thus, the poor youth (Almajiris) 
particularly in Northern Nigeria are manipulated with small amount of money to cause 
religious disturbance.

Wrong Religious Orientation
People are taught differently under different religions. When wrong methods are used in 

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indoctrinating adherents of a particular religion, what often follows is religious obsession 
which invariably leads to violence.

Literacy Level of Religious Adherents
Every Nigerian belongs to one religion or the other. But not too many people are educated 
in Nigeria, since people often believe what their religious leaders say; illiterates are easily 
manipulated since they are not critical in their thinking.

Selfishness on the Part of Religious Personalities
Some religious leaders despite their calling have given to selfishness. They employ fowl 
means to perpetrate religious violence knowing that they will be invited by the 
Government in power to seek their advice. That way they get closer to the Government for 
their personal interest.

External Influence on Religion
There is a mutual suspicion among the different religions in Nigerians. While some 
people think that Christianity is an agent of American and European imperialism, others 
think that Muslims have close ties with Saudi Arabia. Both religious bodies are believed 
to often get financial support from these places.

Implications for Peaceful Co-Existence
There is no gainsaying about the fact that the problem of religious disturbances in Nigeria 
has devastating effects on stability and peaceful co-existence of the citizenry. The 
destruction which religious violence has caused to Nigeria cannot be quantified. The 
frequent clashes which erupted as a result of this had inflicted untold hardships on both 
individuals, in terms of loss of lives and property and on the Government in terms of 
occasional provisions of relief materials for the victims of religious disturbances. 
Though, there are many consequences of religious violence, but the most obvious 
consequence has been loss of lives and property and a growing suspicion resulting in a 
huge trust deficit between people of different faiths who hitherto have seen themselves as 
brothers and sisters. Innocent citizens are in most cases the victims of violence, and have 
increasingly found themselves unable to co-exist with each other. Religious violence has 
the potential of resulting into large-scale physical displacement and forced relocation of 
individuals, families and groups. The spate of this violence in the last three decades has 
certainly resulted in varying degrees of internally displaced persons (Jibrin 1989: 65-82; 
Egwu 2001: 30-33).

Apart from undermining the stability order, religious violence tends to dent the image of 
the country in the international community. The frequent eruption of religious uprisings 
has forced some countries to issue travel warning advising their citizens not to travel to 
Nigeria because of religious tension that could erupt quickly and without warning. For 
instance, in December of 2003, the American State Department citing alleged resurgence 
of violence crises, warned its citizens of the dangers of traveling to Nigeria (Abubakar 
2003: 6; Sulaiman & Ojo 2013: 21-38). Also in December year 2004, the Government of 
United States and Britain re-issued travel advice to their citizens traveling to Nigeria. The 
advisory noted among other things that “religious tension between some Muslim and 

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Religious Violence and Co-Existence in Nigeria      -    Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu & Mike Boni Bazza



Christian communities result in occasional acts of isolated communal violence that could 
erupt quickly and without warning…” (Egua & Makinde 2004: 6; Avalos 2005: 32). It is a 
truism that this kind of warning does not augur well for stability order in the country, 
hence, the need for religious peace. It also causes psychological trauma to those who 
witness the killing of their relatives, and burning of their properties. And it increases the 
unemployment level when most of the small-scale industries that employ youths are lost 
to religious violence.
In other words, while religion has been a factor in national development, it has also been 
manipulated to wrought havoc on the Nigerian populace. As earlier mentioned at the 
beginning of this paper, between the year 1980 and the year 1990, Nigeria recorded eight 
major religious disturbances with heavy human and material losses; many monuments of 
high and historical value were also destroyed.
Apart from the monumental losses which can be qualified, the crisis further deepened the 
division which hitherto existed among the various religious adherents. For example, the 
psychological trauma among the victims of religious disturbances is a recurring decimal. 
Such persons never live to forgive or forget the persons involved in the carnage.
And economically, Nigeria has lost opportunities of economic recovery owing to 
suspicions based on religious rivalry. For example, in the year 1984, Nigeria lost an 
opportunities of an interest free loan from Saudi Arabia which agreed to lend Nigeria a 
substantial part of the 2.5-billion-naira loan, she was negotiating with the I.M.F. The 
rumour then was that Nigeria's regulation of her membership of the Organization of 
Islamic Conference (OIC) would make Nigeria an Islamic state (Ojie 2004: 12- 17; 
Eniola 1990: 24-30). Nigeria lost this golden opportunity even when relatively smaller 
nations such as Garbon, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Guinea 
Bisau enjoy comprehensive economic facilities of the OIC and have not become Islamic 
States in the process of their regular membership.
The incessant nature of violence in the country also has the impact of breeding social 
miscreant and criminals who by their access to weapons of war (which are usually 
sophisticated) become terrors to both their immediate community and the larger society. 
After the crisis, it is always difficult to retrieve such weapons back because most of these 
people are originally jobless, they often found solace in terrorizing the society. Also, the 
inability (in most cases) of the security forces to nip in the bud this religious violence 
before they escalate to the level of wanton destruction of lives and property is a major 
concern.

Prospects and Remedial Solutions in Combating/fostering Religious Violence and 
Peaceful Co-Existence
Having synthesized the implications of religious violence for stability order in Nigeria, it 
is necessary to make some recommendations which the following antidotes are, 
therefore, expected to go a long way in combating. The Constitution of the Federal 
republic of Nigeria must be strengthened and respected. This include the respect for the 
rule of law, respect for the fundamental human rights, independence of the judiciary and 
respect for all democratic norms and values. This is the running of Government affairs in a 
positive and progressive manner that will be beneficial to the Governed.
The issue of religious faith is the concern of many individuals in Nigeria. Thus, people 
have the choice and freedom to follow whichever religion they think they can find solace 

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and tranquility in (Bashir 2002: 27- 29; Sulaiman 2014c: 368-387). So also must every 
person be free to invite others to consider his or her religion of choice without any 
harassment whatsoever. In doing this, the principles enumerated by different religions on 
how to invite people to the way of God should be employed. Invitation of another person 
to a religion should not be done in an aggressive manner. The invitation should be done 
with wisdom and discretion, meeting people on their own ground and convincing them 
with illustrations from their own knowledge and experience, which may be very narrow, 
or very wide. The use of social and economic diplomacy can also be employed to win 
souls to one's religious belief.
Also, to avert religious violence, the Nigerian Government should, at the Federal, State 
and Local Government levels, adopt an open and uncompromising neutral attitude 
towards religious groups in the country. By this, it means that anyone in the position of 
power in a multi-religious country should not allow his or her religious inclination to 
override common interests. Nigerians should be treated equally and be given equal rights 
and privileges irrespective of their religious background.
Relatedly, religious leaders should preach the genuine teaching of their respective 
religion about peace to their followers. All religions could promote peaceful and 
harmonious co-existence among people if only their teeming followers are informed of 
the erroneous consideration of anyone outside their faith as an antagonist. Biblical and 
Qur'anic injunctions are germane for promoting love and religious peace in contemporary 
Nigeria.

In addition, the Nigerian press can play a big role towards averting religious violence and 
promoting national peace and stability order. The objectivity of the press in reporting 
religious matters, will promote religious harmony and peaceful co-existence. It is 
expected that media practitioners should always imbibe the ethics of professional 
journalism whenever they are reporting or making news analysis and features.
Furthermore, at the level of education in Nigeria, students and their lecturers should 
constantly reflect on the value of religious tolerance in a mixed community of religious 
believers. In all tertiary institution; symposia, lectures and conferences should be 
frequently organized on this (Lederach 1995:43; Ekwenife 1993: 10-16). Experts on 
dialogue with different religions should be invited to present leading papers that will 
promote meaningful dialogue. Enlightenment campaigns should also be organized for the 
members of the public on religious peace.
The need for inter-religious dialogue in a religiously pluralistic state like Nigeria is 
equally expedient. The aim of dialogue should not be to obliterate the identity of a 
participating religious group. Rather its objective should be to discuss the various aspects 
of the problem that pose a threat to the peaceful co-existence of different religious groups. 
The promotion of inter-religious dialogue in Nigeria, will therefore contribute a great deal 
to averting religious violence.

In another development, all religious bodies should work hand in glove to identify the 
fundamental aspects of religion in relation to the complex national and international 
issues (Balogun1988: 23- 30; Sulaiman 2014b: 106 -120). For instance, what does 
religion say about corruption, child abuse, secret cultism, terrorism, poverty, to mention 
but a few. They should come together to fuse their knowledge and fight these social 

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Religious Violence and Co-Existence in Nigeria      -    Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu & Mike Boni Bazza



problems in unison rather than broad generalizations and more sentimental statements of 
concern from different religious bodies.

The problem of religious violence can also be tackled through poverty alleviation 
programmes. In this respect, it is imperative that the economy should be empowered to 
take care of the unemployed and a poverty-ridden populace. Besides, Government should 
pursue democratic governance that respects individual and group rights while shifting 
emphasis from distribution to innovative and productive politics. Furthermore, there is 
the need for the development of an early warning system for raising alarm on the 
imminent eruption of religious uprising. Such warning system will enable the law 
enforcement agents to intervene promptly in religious tension before it escalates into 
violent out- burst. The pluralism on religious matters and ethnicity call for sincerity when 
relating with people of different faiths, we must be truly tolerant of each other especially 
where the practice of religion proves divisive. Since all religions preach peace and love 
and since we are children of one God; all efforts must be geared towards unity. Any 
country that is divided by religious conflicts finds it hard to recover. Christian and Muslim 
preachers must carefully guard their utterances so as not to wound people's sensibilities.
Finally, the curriculum of religious studies in the Nigerian educational system should be 
wholly reviewed. Basic tenets that are characteristic of the three major religions should be 
more emphasized through realistic comparative studies, which should be made 
compulsory in all schools and for all students. Through this, students shall be opportune to 
know more about themselves, not only in their Christian or Muslim faiths or religious 
understanding but also attain a sound, sharpened and refined view of other people's belief 
system.

Conclusion

In this paper, it was found that among the causes of religious violence in Nigeria are: 
Religious Intolerance, Religious Fanaticism, Unbridled Action of the Press, Aggressive 
or Militant Preaching/Evangelism, Poverty, Wrong Religious Orientation, Literacy Level 
of Religious Adherents, Selfishness on the part of Religious Personalities, poverty and 
External Influence in Religion. It was also discovered that the destruction which religious 
violence has caused to Nigeria cannot be quantified. The frequent clashes which erupted 
as a result of this have inflicted untold hardship on both individuals and the government. 
Apart from undermining the stability order, religious violence tends to dent the image of 
the country in the international community. Also, the frequent eruption of religious 
uprisings has forced some countries to issue travel warning advising their citizens not to 
travel to Nigeria because of religious tension that could erupt quickly and without 
warning. It also causes psychological trauma to those who witnessed the killing of their 
relatives, and burning of their properties. Likewise, economically, Nigeria has lost 
opportunities of economic recovery owing to suspicions based on religious rivalry. 
In good conscience, it is believed that religion is meant to bring peace and stability to the world 
and unite humanity irrespective of tribe or language. Moreover, anyone who understands the 
teachings of religions will not relate the overwhelming presence of violence in Nigeria to 
religious mission. The study concludes that religious violence in Nigeria has claimed many lives 
and property worth billions of naira. The violence has not helped the growth and development of 

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December 



the nation. However, education, tolerance, religious dialogue, reconciliation, among others, 
should serve as avenues for dousing the social violence that emerges from the practice of religion 
in Nigeria. This will ensure peaceful coexistence of Christians, Muslims, Traditionalists and 
members of other religions. Invariably, this would help in the restoration of peace, security, 
growth and stability of the Nigerian nation.

References
Alanamu, A.S. 2005, Reflections on Religious Violence in Nigeria (19992004). In 

Alanamu, A.S. (eds.): Issues in Political Violence in Nigeria. Ilorin: Hamson 
Printing Communication.

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