2000 Kaduna riots

Last updated
Map of Kaduna Nigeria Kaduna State map.png
Map of Kaduna

The 2000 Kaduna riots were religious riots in Kaduna involving Christians and Muslims over the introduction of sharia law in Kaduna State, Nigeria. [1] It is unclear how many people were killed in the fighting between Muslims and Christians, that lasted with peaceful intervals from 21 February until 23 May 2000; estimates vary from 1,000 to 5,000 deaths.

Contents

When in February 2000, the governor of Kaduna announced the introduction of sharia to Kaduna State, of which non-Muslims form almost half of the population, [1] the Kaduna branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) organised a public protest against it in Kaduna city. [2] Muslim youths then clashed with them and the situation spiraled out of control, with massive violence and destruction on both sides. [2] The violence happened in two main waves (sometimes referred to as "Sharia 1" and "Sharia 2"): a first wave from 21 to 25 February, with further killings in March, followed by a second wave from 22 to 23 May. [2] The initial violence left more than 1,000 people dead; [1] [3] a judicial commission set up by the Kaduna state government reported the official death toll to be 1,295. [2] However, Human Rights Watch estimated the total number fatalities, including those from March and May and many from February the commission had not counted, to be much higher, somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000. [2] Several media reported a number of about or more than 2,000 deaths (and 2 to 300 deaths in May). [4] [5] Eventually, the army interfered to end the bloody clashes when it became clear the police could not control them. [6]

These became the first so-called "Sharia clashes", [1] the start of the religious riots phase of the Sharia Conflict (1999–present).

The first wave( February 21, 2000 - February 25, 2000)

February 21.

On February 21, 2000, at about 6am, thousands of Christians from different parts of Kaduna including Sabo Tasha, Kakuri, Television Villiage, Angwan Sunday, and Barnawa [7] converged and marched in protest against the proposed adoption of Shariah in Kaduna state. The protest was a response to the Pro Shariah rallies that had gone on from Monday to Saturday the previous week. [8] Some of the phrases that were chanted during the protest are, "No more Shariah", "No to Shariah", and "Shariah rest in peace". [7]

Some Christian youth broke some cars' windshields and disrupted the flow of traffic, this left many commuters with walking as their only option. [7] Many people also closed their shops and businesses fearing that the violence may escalate.

The violence escalated further when a clash erupted at Central Market, some hoodlums had taken advantage of the protest march to raid and loot stores, which led many people to panic and run for safety. Armed policemen were later dispatched to handle the violence, but at least 3 people had already died [7] and the fighting and burning of buildings continued. [9]

A 6 pm - 6 am curfew was later imposed in the evening by Acting Governor, Stephen Shekari [9]

February 22.

Despite the curfew, the killings, fighting, and burning of buildings continued. [10] Some Policemen were deployed from Abuja, however, they were low-numbered compared to the level of violence. In Narayi Villiage, Badarawa and Tudun Wada protesters were taking people out of their houses and killing them based on their religious affiliation.

At 9:00 am, enraged youths had blocked routes from Sabon Tasha, Tudun Wada, and Kawo(Which were the Southern, Northern and Western routes) to Kaduna Central(the heart of the city), [10] This meant people could not visit or attend to their business, some essential services like banks also needed to be closed [10]

Some Journalists were hurt, and at least 3 Churches and 1 Mosque were burnt down. [10]

February 23.

The Violence got even worse.

The leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafria (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, reacted to what he referred to as the killings of Christians who are predominately Igbos, He threatened to mobilize Igbos in the South to retaliate against the Hausas if the Federal government fails to stop the killings of Igbos in the North. He also urged Igbo people in Kaduna to use every amount of force available to them to defend themselves. [11]

At least 50 people had died and Soldiers from the Nigeria army had been deployed in Kaduna

See also

Related Research Articles

The Yelwa massacre was a series of related incidents of religious violence between Muslims and Christians which took place in Yelwa, Nigeria between February and May 2004. These incidents killed over 700 people. The first occurred on 4 February 2004 when armed Muslims attacked the Christians of Yelwa, killing more than 78 Christians, including at least 48 who were worshipping inside a church compound. According to some sources, the signal for the attack was a call for Jihad from the local mosque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Belt</span> Geographical region in central Nigeria

The Middle Belt or Central Nigeria is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is composed of the southern half of the defunct Northern Region of Nigeria, now comprising mostly the North Central and parts of the North East and North West geopolitical zones, and is characterised by its lack of a clear majority ethnic group. It is also the location of Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabon Gari</span>

A Sabon Gari is a section of cities and town in Northern Nigeria South Central Niger and Northern Cameroon whose residents are not indigenous to Hausa lands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Jos riots</span> Riots in Nigeria

The 2008 Jos riots were riots involving Christians and Muslims over the result of a local election on 28 and 29 November 2008 in Jos, a city in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. Two days of rioting left hundreds injured and at least 761 dead. The Nigerian army was deployed and by 30 November order was restored.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Jos riots</span> 2001 religious violence between Christians and Muslims in Jos, Nigeria

The 2001 Jos riots were riots involving Christians and Muslims in Jos, Nigeria, over the appointment of a Muslim politician, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, as local coordinator of the federal poverty alleviation program. The clashes started on 7 September and lasted nearly two weeks, ending on 17 September. Some 1,000 people were killed during the riots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharia in Nigeria</span> Islamic law in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Sharia has been instituted as a main body of civil and criminal law in twelve Muslim-majority states since 1999, when then-Zamfara State governor Ahmad Sani Yerima began the push for the institution of Sharia at the state level of government. A "declaration of full Sharia law" was made in the twelve states in that year, and the states created Islamic legal institutions such as a Sharia Commission, and Zakat Commission, and a hisbah, i.e. "a group expected to promote Islamic virtue, whilst discouraging vice". According to some critics, the adoption of Sharia law violates Article 10 of the Nigerian constitution guaranteeing religious freedom.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria operates two court systems. Both systems can punish blasphemy. The Constitution provides a customary (irreligious) system and a system that incorporates Sharia. The customary system prohibits blasphemy by section 204 of Nigeria's Criminal Code.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaduna South</span> LGA in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Kaduna South is a Local Government Area in the Kaduna Metropolis of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located in Makera. Other wards are Barnawa, Tudun Wada, Tudun Nupawa, Television, Kakuri, Unguwar Muazu, Kabala West, Sabon Gari, Badikko, Unguwar Sanusi and Kurmin Mashi. It has an area of about 46.2 km2. The postal code of the area is 800.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Jos riots</span> Ethno-religious conflict in central Nigeria

The 2010 Jos riots were clashes between Muslim and Christian ethnic groups in central Nigeria in and near the city of Jos. The first spate of violence of 2010 started on 17 January in Jos and spread to surrounding communities. Houses, churches, mosques and vehicles were set ablaze, during at least four days of fighting. At least 326 people, and possibly more than a thousand, were killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Nigerian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Nigeria on 16 April 2011, postponed from 9 April 2011. The election followed controversy as to whether a northerner or southerner should be allowed to become president given the tradition of rotating the top office between the north and the south after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua, a northerner, when Goodluck Jonathan, another southerner assumed the interim presidency.

On 17 June 2012, three Christian churches in northern Nigeria were attacked by bomb explosions. At least 12 were killed and 80 were wounded. On 24 June 2012, Reuters UK reported that 19 people were killed.

On 7 August 2012, a mass shooting occurred at Deeper Life, an evangelical Christian church near Okene in Nigeria's central Kogi State. Three unidentified gunmen killed 19 people, including the church's pastor. The following day, in an apparent reprisal killing, three gunmen on motorcycles killed two soldiers and a civilian outside a mosque in Okene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss World riots</span> Religious riots in Kaduna, Nigeria

The Miss World riots were a series of religiously motivated riots in the Nigerian city of Kaduna in November 2002, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 people. The Miss World beauty pageant, which was controversial in Nigeria, was relocated to London after bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians, caused by what some Muslims deemed to be a "blasphemous" article in the Christian newspaper ThisDay about the event. The Miss World riots were part of the Sharia conflict in Nigeria, that started in 1999 when several predominantly Islamic states in Northern Nigeria decided to introduce Sharia law.

Religious violence in Nigeria refers to Christian-Muslim strife in modern Nigeria, which can be traced back to 1953. Today, religious violence in Nigeria is dominated by the Boko Haram insurgency, which aims to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. Since the turn of the 21st century, 62,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed by the terrorist group Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and other groups. The killings have been referred to as a silent genocide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esther Ibanga</span> Nigerian pastor

Esther Ibanga is a Nigerian pastor and founder of the "Women Without Walls Initiative". She won the 32nd Niwano Peace Prize for promoting peace among people of different ethnic groups and religions in Jos, Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kano State Hisbah Corps</span> Religious police force in Kano state, Nigeria

The Kano State Hisbah Corps is a religious police force in Kano state, Nigeria responsible for the enforcement of Shari'a to only Muslims in Kano state and other parts of the northern Nigeria. Malam yahaya faruk chedi is the first commander General of Hisba, followed by Sheik Ibrahim Mu'azzam Maibushra and then Sheik Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa. Sheikh Daurawa resigned as commander of Hisbah Kano in 2019, as of 2022, its commander is Haruna Ibn-Sina. Sheikh Daurawa was reappointed by Kano State governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in 2023 as its commander.

Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria are a series of disputes over arable land resources across Nigeria between the mostly-Muslim Fulani herders and the mostly-Christian non-Fulani farmers. The conflicts have been especially prominent in the Middle Belt since the return of democracy in 1999. More recently, they have deteriorated into attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen.

The genesis of the 1992 Zangon Kataf crises could at least be traced to the onset of the British imperial regime in the Northern Region of Nigeria, in which the Atyap people began reporting the loss of land to the Hausas. In 1922, it was reported that a large piece of land was acquired by the Emir of Zaria, Dalhatu Uthman Yero, who failed to compensate the indigenous population of the region. In 1966, the land was provided to the Hausa trading settlement in the heart of Mabatado, called "Zangon Kataf", by the emir, Muhammad Usman.The Atyap resided within the district, in the Zaria Province of the Northern Region of, initially, British Nigeria, which became independent Nigeria. It was to remain utilized as a marketplace, where the indigenous Atyap people were banned from trading pork and beer by the settlers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Johannes Harnischfeger, Democratization and Islamic Law: The Sharia Conflict in Nigeria (Frankfurt am Main 2008) p.16. Campus Verlag. ISBN   3593382563
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "The "Miss World Riots": Continued Impunity for Killings in Kaduna". Human Rights Watch. July 2003. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  3. ↑ (in Dutch) Encarta-encyclopedie Winkler Prins (1993–2002) s.v. "Nigeria. §5.5 Vanaf 2000". Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum.
  4. ↑ "Nigeria buries its dead". BBC News. 25 November 2002. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Nigeria begraaft doden na rellen" (in Dutch). Trouw. 26 May 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  6. ↑ Jacqueline Maris (2 March 2014). "Wennen aan de democratie" (in Dutch). Trouw . Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Bashir, Kalejaiye (February 21, 2000). "Kaduna Boils". P. M. News. p. 5. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  8. ↑ Bashir, Kalejaiye (21 February 2000). "Kaduna boils over Shariah". P. M. News. p. 1. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Bashir, Kalejaiye (22 February 2000). "Kaduna still boils". P. M. News. p. 1. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Bashir, Kalejaiye (22 February 2024). "Kaduna". P. M. News. p. 5. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024.
  11. ↑ Bashir, Kalejaiye; Innocent, Atabo (February 23, 2000). "Secret Killings in Kaduna". P. M. News. p. 1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.