A HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE

The roots of religious violence run deep in Kaduna State’s past. In 1987, the same year that Kaduna became a state, religious conflict broke out. In the three (3) regional systems of 1954, Kaduna was historically a part of the Northern region. The Northern region’s capital at the time Nigeria was divided into twelve (12) States, on May 27, 1967, was Kaduna as it is known today. Formerly known as North Central State, it was renamed Kaduna State in 1976. Zaria and Katsina were the two provinces of the earlier Kaduna. The state was divided into two on September 23, 1987. Zaria kept the name Kaduna, but Katsina province formed a new state entitled Katsina state. 1 The Hausa word “KADA,” which means “crocodile,” is where the city of Kaduna gets its name.  For crocodiles, the plural form is kaduna. The capital city of Kaduna, Zaria, Kagoro, Kafachan, Kachia, and Zonkwa are the major towns in Kaduna. There are Birnin, Gwari, and Chikun among the twenty-three (23) various local government areas that make up Kaduna State. Local Government Areas in Kachia, Igabi, Ikara, Jaba, Jema’s, Kachia North, Kachia South, Kagarko, Kajuru, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sabon Gari, Sanga, Soba, Zangon Kataf, and Zaria. In Kaduna, there are 57 different languages that are spoken, including Acipa in the Eastern Birnin Gwari Local Government Area and Amo in the Saminaka LGA. Begbere-Ejar in Kachia LGA, Berom in Jema LGA, Atsam in Kachia LGA, Aten in Jema LGA, Atsam in Aten in Jema LGA, Ayu in Jema LGA, Bacama in Northeast of Kaduna Town, Bina in Saminaka LGA, Doka in Kachia LGA, Dungu in Saminaka LGA, Gbagyi in Kachia LGA, Gbari Gbiri-Niragu in Saminaka LGA, Gwandara in Kaduna State, Kachia LGA, Ham in Kachia and Jema’a LGAs, Cinda-Regi-Tiyal in Birnin Gwari LGA, Cori in Jema’a LGA, Cind Iku-Gora-Ankwa in Kachia LGA, Ikulu in Kachia LGA, Irigwe in Saminaka LGA, Izere in Jema’a LGA, Jere in Saminaka LGA, and Jju in Kachia are Hausa names for these communities as well as Jemaa LGAs, The local government areas of Kadara in Kachia, Kagoma in Jema’a, Kaivi in Saminaka, and Kamantan in Kachia, Kaningkon-Nindem, Kanufi, Kono, and Kurama in the Saminaka and Ikara Local Government Areas of Jema’a, respectively Kuturmi in the Kachia LGA, Mada in the Jema’a LGA, Mala in the Saminaka LGA, Nandu-Tari, Ningye, Ninzam, and Nkwak in the Birnin Gwari LGA, Piti in Saminaka LGA, Numana-Nunku-Gwantu-Numbu in Jema’a LGA, Minimal Numbers Of Pongu In Kaduna Town Shamang in Kachia and Jama’a LGAs, Ruma in Saminaka LGA, Shama-Sambuga, Birnin Gwari LGA, Sheni, Surubu, Tumi, and Tyap in the Kachia, Saminaka, and Jema’a LGAs of Kaduna State, respectively Vono in the Yeskwa LGA of Saminaka stimulates scholarly inquiry. Hence, the history of religious violence in Kaduna State is reconstructed in this study project. From 1987 to 2011, there were several incidents of religious violence in the State. The majority of these incidents started as arguments between students or young people in the community and later escalated into clashes between Christians and Muslims in the State, which resulted in casualties and damage to property.