Religious conflict in Nigeria goes as far back as 1953. But it was in the 1980s that Nigeria saw an upsurge in religious violence. This was mainly caused by the death of Mohammed Marwa, or Maitatsine.
Maitatsine is a controversial Muslim preacher who had a militant followers called the Yan Tatsine. They were largely composed of youths, unemployed migrants, and disgruntled citizens. In the 1970s, his followers increased, and confrontations between his followers and the authorities increased.
In December 1980, continued attacks on other religious figures and police by Yan Tatsine forced the Nigerian army to get involved. Clashes continued, which led to the death of five thousand people, including Maitatsine. His death did not stop the violence as Yan Tatsine riots continued.
In October 1982, riots erupted in Bulumkuttu, near Maidaguri, and in Kaduna. Over three thousand people died. Survivors of these riots moved to Yola, and more violent uprisings happened in the city during the early part of 1984. More than one thousand people died in Yola and nearly half of the city’s inhabitants were left homeless.
It was also in the 1980s that ruler of Nigeria, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, enrolled Nigeria in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. This move increased religious tensions in the country, particularly among the Christian community.
Also in the 1980s, a serious outbreak between Christians and Muslims occurred in Kafanchan. This was incited by leaders who rally the young and educated individuals who are scared that their nation would not be able to protect their religious group.
As each group was radicalized, clashes between Christians and Muslims continued. The media was used to propagate the ideas of the conflict, which radicalized each group even more. Media was biased on each side. For example, Federal Radio Corporation talked of defending Islam during this period of conflict but did not report the damage caused by the Muslims. On the Christians’ side, Christian papers focused on the Islamic terror but did not report the damage caused by Christians. Leaders of these religious movements use the media to spread messages of hate, and each group became more intolerant of the other religion. Thus, radical Islam continues to be a problem in Nigeria today.
Sources:
Dash, Leon. “Religious Strife Said to Kill Hundreds in Nigeria.” Last modified March 6, 1984
Harvard Divinity School. “The Maitatsine Riots.” Accessed February 26, 2023.
Wikipedia. “Religious Violence in Nigeria.” Last modified December 28, 2020.