Violence in Nigeria

Muslims, Christians and religious
Violence in Nigeria: Patterns and
mapping (2006-2014)
5
Akinola Ejodame Olojo
Abstract
The notion that religious violence in Nigeria is always characterized by conflicts
between religions (Muslims versus Christians) is too simplistic. This
study shows that between June 2006 and May 2014 the frequency of violent
death incidents involving Islamic groups against Islamic groups is 60, a figure
higher than 57, which is the frequency of violent death incidents involving Islamic
groups against Christian groups or churches within the same period. A
second major point in this paper is that violence involving religious groups is
not always caused by religious issues. This explains why the frequency of violent
death incidents involving Islamic groups against Christian groups or
churches due to non-religious issues is as high as 42 between June 2006 and
May 2014. Thirdly, it remains inconclusive whether or not more Muslims than
Christians (or vice versa) are killed because of violence in general in Nigeria.
Finally, the Western media frames violence in Nigeria as being mainly interreligious,
while lethal incidents involving Islamic groups against Islamic
groups are largely under-reported.
Introduction
This paper is an attempt to sketch out and analyse the evolution and diverse patterns
of violent deaths involving Muslims and Christians in Nigeria between 1
June 2006 and 31 May 2014. 1 Although this nationwide mapping offers representations
of the broad spectrum and character of Muslim-Christian religious violence
over the eight-year period in focus, it also includes the dynamics of violent
deaths of a non-religious nature involving Muslims and Christians. Our assessment
also considers the violent interaction between Muslim and Christian groups
in relation to other protagonists associated with religious and non-religious is-
1
This period is chosen because the Nigeria Watch database began recording data in June 2006, and this
study seeks to analyse the available data over an eight-year period.