Understanding complex truth about Nigeria’s conflicts
By Ali Abare
It is true that Nigeria faces serious security challenges, but the reality on the ground is far more complex than the picture of a religious genocide.
The violence is not a one-sided campaign against Christians.
In fact, available data and testimonies from crisis monitors indicate that the majority of victims of groups like Boko Haram are Muslims who live in the country’s predominantly northern regions.
These insurgent groups are known for their indiscriminate violence, targeting markets, mosques, and churches alike, showing little regard for the faith of their victims.
The frequent clashes in the North-Central region, which are often framed as religious wars, are more accurately described as deadly conflicts over land and resources.
At its heart, this is a struggle between farmers and herders competing for scarce land and water.
This crisis is fueled by a mix of climate change, population growth, and ethnic tensions, not a religious agenda.
While the Fulani herders are predominantly Muslim and the farmers are often Christian, reducing this conflict to a religious war ignores its fundamental causes.
As one analysis rightly points out, calling these clashes religious is a dangerous simplification that overlooks the real issues of resource competition and state failure.
The Nigerian government has consistently pushed back against the religious genocide narrative, with President Bola Tinubu, who is himself a Muslim married to a Christian pastor, stating that the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect the national reality.
His administration has emphasized that the government’s efforts are focused on safeguarding all citizens, irrespective of their faith.
Furthermore, the country’s top security apparatus is currently led by Christians, from the Chief of Defence Staff to the Inspector General of Police, which makes the idea of a state-sanctioned campaign against Christians difficult to justify.
The danger of this misinformation is that it can lead to policies that deepen divisions rather than help the situation.
Many experts and Nigerian officials have expressed that what the country needs is military support and cooperation to fight extremist groups, not actions that could undermine its sovereignty or further inflame local tensions.
It is important to understand the matter in all its shades. The real path forward lies in addressing the root causes of the violence—strengthening governance, promoting justice, and fostering dialogue between communities.
