Nigerian Sharia conflict

Nigerian Sharia conflict
Map of Nigeria
Date 1 May 1953[1] - ongoing Location several cities in Nigeria Result Unclear
Belligerents
Nigeria	Boko Haram Muslims	Christians
Commanders and leaders
Goodluck Jonathan Ibrahim Geidam Ali Modu Sheriff Isa Yuguda	Mohammed Yusuf † Bukar Shekau † Mallam Sanni Umaru[2]
Strength
Military of Nigeria Nigeria Police Force Nigerian Mobile Police
total casualties=at least 10,000 civilians killed[3] Thousands civilians displaced[4]

Nigerian Sharia conflict is an armed conflict of militant groups, different representatives of religious groupings and the government of Nigeria.

According to a Nigerian study on demographics and Religion, Muslims make up 50.5% of the population. They mainly live in the North of the country. The majority of the Nigerian Muslims are Sunnis. Christians are the second-largest religious groups and make up 48.2% of the population. They predominate in the centre and in the South of the country, whereas adherents of other religions make up 1.4 %.^[5]

As Muslims narrowly form the majority of the population, many of them demand to introduce the Sharia - the Islamic law - as main source of legislation. 12 Northern states have introduced sharia as base of the executive and the judiciary in the years 1999 and 2000.

Background

In the North of the country are numerous Muslim groups, which want to introduce sharia in the whole country. In the states of the North these demands have been executed in 1999 and 2001.

In the following 9 states the Sharia has full validity:

• Zamfara (27 January 2000)
• Kano (21 June 2000)
• Sokoto
• Katsina
• Bauchi (June, 2001)
• Borno
• Jigawa
• Kebbi
• Yobe

In the following states the sharia is valid for areas with a mainly Muslim population:

• Kaduna
• Niger (13 January 2000)
• Gombe

History

Introduction of the Sharia

The riots of 1999, 2000 and 2001 were riots between Christians and Muslims in Jos, Nigeria about the appointment of a Muslim politician, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, to the local coordinator federal programme to fight poverty.^[6] The riots began on 7 September, lasted nearly two weeks and ended on 17 September. More than 1000 people were killed because of the riots.^[7]
In 2010, more than 500 people were killed by religious violence in Jos.^[8]

Political development

See also

• List of ongoing political conflicts
• Kano riot of 1953
• 2001 Jos riots
• 2008 Jos riots
• 2009 Nigerian sectarian violence
• 2010 Jos riots
• Politics of Nigeria
• Methodist Church Nigeria
• Religion in Bauchi State
• Religion in Borno State
• Religion in Gombe State
• Religion in Jigawa State
• Religion in Kaduna State
• Religion in Kano State
• Religion in Katsina State
• Religion in Kebbi State
• Religion in Niger State
• Religion in Sokoto State
• Religion in Yobe State
• Religion in Zamfara State

References

1. ^ Michael Crowder. The Story of Nigeria. p 253-254
2. ^ http://allafrica.com/stories/200908140646.html
3. ^ "Analysis: Behind Nigeria's violence". BBC News. 5 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1630089.stm. 
4. ^ "Attack on Nigerian town kills more than 200". CNN. 8 March 2010. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/07/nigeria.violence/index.html?iref=allsearch. 
5. ^ http://pewforum.org/world-affairs/countries/?countryID=150
6. ^ Obed Minchakpu (2001-10-01). "Religious Riots in Nigeria Leave Hundreds Dead". Christianity Today. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/octoberweb-only/10-1-23.0.html. Retrieved 2008-11-30. 
7. ^ "300 bodies taken to mosque on 2nd day of Nigeria riots". CNN. 2008-08-29. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/29/nigeria.riots.ap/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail. Retrieved 2008-11-30. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "'Hundreds dead' in Nigeria attack". BBC News. 8 March 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8555018.stm. 

External links

• Blench, R. M., Daniel, P. & Hassan, Umaru (2003): Access rights and conflict over common pool resources in three states in Nigeria. Report to Conflict Resolution Unit, World Bank (extracted section on Jos Plateau)