Nigeria: 13 killed in religious clashes Kaduna state Feb. 26

Event

Police sources announced on February 28 that clashes between Muslims and Christian youths took place in the Kasuwan Magani community of Kaduna state on Monday, February 26. The clashes led to the deaths of at least 13 people and many houses and shops were reportedly set on fire. Additional security forces have been deployed to the area to quell the violence and an investigation is ongoing.

Context

Central Nigeria is located between the Muslim-majority north and the Christian-majority south and tensions between the two communities have frequently boiled over into deadly violence in this border region. The area has seen a resurgence in violence between nomadic Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers in recent months, although those clashes are primarily over resources.

Intercommunal clashes are common in Nigeria. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recently reported that murder rates linked to ethnic violence in Nigeria are higher than those related to terrorism, also a major security concern in the country. According to the International Crisis Group, at least 168 people had been killed in communal violence in 2018 as of February 7. Around 100 of the fatalities were reported in Benue state.

Advice

Individuals in the central part of the country are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.

The security environment in Nigeria is complex and is particularly concerning in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Jigawa as well as parts of Kano and Adamawa states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.