Violent Religious Conflicts in Nigeria, 1980-2019: Causes, Mitigation and Management Strategies

Nigeria has witnessed cases of violent religious conflicts since its independence from Britain in 1960. Most of these pitted Muslims against Christians and, in some cases, the conflicts were between various Islamic sects. Before 1980, these conflicts appeared to be few and far between and were, more often than not, easily brought under control by security agents. However, from the latter date, they have assumed more frightening dimensions in their frequency, spread, intensity and casualties. This paper examines the manifestations of religious conflicts in Nigeria. It argues that these conflicts are caused and also escalated by a number of factors including but not limited to poor state of a mis-managed national economy, activities of unscrupulous politicians and preachers, poor security system and developments extraneous to the country. The study also assesses extant management systems and submits that in addition to campaigns for religious tolerance among citizens, there is the need for conclusive judicial processes on the perpetrators, implementation of positive economic policies, accessible quality education and better-trained and equipped security personnel. This is a qualitative research which draws its sources from eye-witness accounts, news reports, journal articles and other published materials.