The Challenges And Prospect Of Effective Government Response To Ethno-Religious Conflicts In Nigeria

The persistence of direct violence on account of sectarian conflicts and the inability of Nigerian governments to restore lasting peace motivated this study. The study was descriptive and data obtained from secondary sources. The study found that ethnicity and religion were over played and often used as political weapons to achieve selfish goals; the traditional models of conflict transformation were no longer very effective while crime on account of conflict is becoming a business, as offenders often go unpunished. The government lacked the political will to address the issues of conflict but largely embarked on palliative measures. The study concludes that power sharing is the primary issue engendering conflict. In addition, the issues associated with most conflicts are surmountable given sincerity of purpose by intervening agencies. The study recommends that the traditional models of conflict transformation be strengthened as well as the involvement of Non- Governmental Agencies (NGO) while security reports on a potentially explosive situation should not be ignored. The governments need to develop sufficient political will to confront the issues of conflicts and implement previous relevant reports. Finally, good governance based on fairness and equity is a prerequisite peaceful coexistence while the press moderates sensational news on conflicts.