A HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE
ABSTRACT
Violence in general terms has been a cancerous disease that has continued to eat deep into the fabric of our society. Religious violence has for long hampered growth, unity and development in our society and our country at large. The conflicts had been studied by various scholars in an effort to reconstruct the genesis of the whole issue in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large. However it is on the bases that this project reconstruct the history of religious violence as it affect the people and government of Kaduna state from 1987 to 2011. It discuss religious violence, its causes and consequences in Kaduna. The researcher concludes by advancing that within the period of study violence has been a recurring phenomenon in the History of Kaduna and also recommend ways or means through which this violence can be ameliorated.
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.0 Introduction
Religious violence has its roots deep in the history of Kaduna State. As a state, Kaduna came into being in 1987 and in the same year religious violence erupted. Historically, Kaduna was part of Northern region in the three (3) regional structures of 1954. Present day Kaduna was the capital of Northern region when Nigeria was restructured into twelve (12) State on 27th May 1967. It was named North Central State and later changed to Kaduna State in 1976. The old Kaduna had two provinces, Katsina and Zaria. On 23rd September, 1987 the state was split into two, Katsina province became a new state named Katsina state, while Zaria retained the name Kaduna.1 The name Kaduna is derived from the Hausa word “KADA” meaning crocodile, and Kaduna is the plural word for crocodile. Main towns in Kaduna are Kaduna (city capital), Zaria, Kagoro, Kafachan, Kachia and Zonkwa. Kaduna State consist of twenty-three (23) different local government areas and there are:Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Ikara, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kagarko, Kajuru, Kaura,Kauru, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sabon Gari, Sanga, Soba, Zangon Kataf and Zaria Local Government Areas. There are fifty-seven (57) different langue spoken in Kaduna which includes
