Inequality, Disparities Behind Ethnic Violence in Kaduna State: Nigerian Archbishop Says

The Ecclesiastical Province of Kaduna comprises of the dioceses of Ilorin, Kafanchan, Kano, Minna, Sokoto and Zaria.

The Archbishop of Kaduna led a delegation that included Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop George Dodo of Zaria Diocese, Bishop John Niyiring of Kano Diocese and the Administrator of Kafanchan Diocese while the Bishop of Minna and Kotangora was represented.

Kaduna Local Government Area, home to the Hausa-Fulani herders who are largely muslims and other minority tribes mostly comprising of Christians who practise farming, has a long history of violence.

In October 2018, violence largely blamed on religious differences and unjust treatment of the minority groups broke out, then cooled down, only to rise again in February 2019.

“I can tell you that if you dig deep down it is not only the crisis here in Kajuru, it is not only the crisis in the north or Niger Delta. Most of these things are hinged on injustice,” Archbishop Ndagoso said.

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He added, “When the Niger Delta boys were struggling to emancipate their people, money was being lifted, dollars were being harvested from their own territory, meanwhile the whole area was polluted, destroyed and fishermen lost their means of livelihood as a result of the pollution. And here in the north you can see it happening also.” 

Explaining the purpose of their visit as a delegation, the Nigerian Archbishop said, “It is the duty of the Church leaders to give hope, console and give joy in all circumstances of life to the families of victims of the crisis.” 

He affirmed the Church’s neutral position in times of conflict saying, “If there is a problem between farmers and herders it is not for us as religious leaders to take sides. Ours is to say the truth and ensure that justice is done to everybody.”

Archbishop Ndagoso also urged the government to protect the interests of its citizens saying once the government addresses “the problem of injustice, peace would come naturally in the country.”

In his view, what the Nigerian “Government needs to do is to provide good governance for the common good of the common man.”