THE IMPACT OF SECTARIAN CRISIS ON THE CHURCH IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF CHURCHES IN KADUNA STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria is known as a divided state in which most political problems are majorly are seen along the lines of the complex ethnic, religious, and regional diversities in the country (Smyth and Robinson, 2012). By reason of its complex nature, Nigeria can be rightly described as one of the most divided states in Africa (Osaghae and Suberu, 2013). From its creation as a colonial state, Nigeria has encountered a lasting crisis of territorial legitimacy, and that has often disrupted its efforts at national cohesion, democratization, stability and economic development (Maier, 2011). The main point of the sectarian crisis seems to have been the civil war in the late 1960s, which started not long after independence in 1960. Since Nigeria’s transition to civilian rule in 1999 there has been a rapid increase of conflicts in the country. As a result of this development, members of different ethnic groups have become aware of their different identities because of the periodical occurrence of social interpretation of intergroup relations (Sanda, 1999). The gravity of sectarian crisis has led to the formation and operations of several militia groups prominent among them include, Bakassi Boys, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Oodua People Congress (OPC), Egbesu Boys, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and more recently Boko Haram. These Militia groups have become an enclave for the army of jobless youths (Alegbeleye, 2014). Generally, sectarian crisis erupts particularly from groups and collective individuals and it usually results into conflicts if not properly managed or regulated by the society. Several violent techniques have often been employed to pursue and defend certain claims and interests by various competing groups in the society. In other words, violence especially those expressed by groups are always precipitated by political, economic and socio-cultural criticism which are not promptly and also properly resolved. Historically, under a variety of social and political systems and contexts, people in almost every part of the world have engaged in conflicts and violent expressions, they have also waged wars using a variety of techniques of struggle. In modern times, instances of conflicts and expressive violent outbursts have become more crowded on a diverse range of issues ranging from politics, economy, religion, ethnicity, ideology and extreme forms of terrorism. Sectarian crisis in northern Nigeria has flared up periodically over the last 30 years, mainly in the form of urban