Paper Status Tracking
Contact us
[email protected]
Click here to send a message to me 3275638434
Paper Publishing WeChat

Article
Affiliation(s)

Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

This essay argues that while Nigeria’s insecurity is complex, there exists a clear, historical, and systematic pattern of targeted violence against Christian communities. This pattern is rooted in centuries-old Islamic political structures, reinforced by political Islam and radical militant groups, and aided by inadequate state response. The violence exhibits characteristics of genocidal targeting, with specific episodes like the Dogo N’ Hauwa massacre illustrating its scale, coordination, and religious motivation.

KEYWORDS

Christian Genocide, Political Islam, Radical Islam, Targeted Violence, Nigerian Christian Communities, Genocidal Patten

Cite this paper

Martinluther Nwaneri. (2025). Nigeria and the “Genocide by Another Name”. International Relations and Diplomacy, Nov.-Dec. 2025, Vol. 13, No. 6, 335-351

References

Amnesty International. (2015). “Our job is to shoot, slaughter and kill”: Boko Haram’s reign of terror in north‑east Nigeria. London: Amnesty International. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr44/1360/2015/en/ (accessed on 15 November 2025).

Amnesty International. (2018). Harvest of death: Three years of bloody clashes between farmers and herders. London: Amnesty International.

Arise News. (2023). Solomon Dalung: Plateau State killings are terrorism acts, not farmer-herder conflict. Retrieved from https://www.arise.tv/solomon-dalung-plateau-state-killings-are-terrorism-act-not-farmer-herder-conflict/ (accessed on 19 November 2025)

Awhefeada, S. (2018). Accomplishing Sardauna’s mission. The Guardian, 15 January 2018.

Bellamy, A. J. (2013). The responsibility to protect: Added value or hot air? Cooperation and Conflict, 48(3), 333-357. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/45084728

Blench, R. (2010). Conflict between pastoralists and cultivators in Nigeria (A Review paper prepared for DFID, Nigeria). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.

Buchanam, R. (2015). Global terrorism index: Nigerian Fulani militants named as fourth deadliest terror group in world. Independent UK Edition, 18/11/2015.

Chiluwa, I., & Chiluwa, I. M. (2020). Deadlier than Boko Haram: Representations of the Nigerian herder-farmer conflict in the local and foreign press. Media, War and Conflict, 15(1), 3-24. doi:10.1177/1750635220902490.

Chinweizu. (2013). Caliphate colonialism: The taproot of the trouble with Nigeria. Nigeria: Chinweizu. ISBN:9789312008.

Daily Trust. (2017). Koros, Gbagyis battle for Bwari traditional stool. Retrieved from https://www.dailytrust.com/koros-gbagyis-battle-for-bwari-traditional-stool.html (accessed on 17 January 2026).

Danjibo, N. D. (2009). Islamic fundamentalism and sectarian violence: The Maitatsine and Boko Haram crises in northern Nigeria. Peace and Conflict Studies Paper Series, 1-21. Ibadan: University of Ibadan.

Evans, G. (2015). The evolution of the responsibility to protect: From concept and principle to actionable norm. In R. Thakur and W. Maley (Eds.), Theorising the Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Falola, T. (1998). Violence in Nigeria: The crisis of religious politics and secular ideologies. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

Falola, T. (1999). The history of Nigeria. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Falola, T. (2009). Colonialism and violence in Nigeria. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

George, J., Adelaja, A., Vaughan, T., & Awokuse, O. (2022). Explaining transhumance‑related violence: Fulani ethnic militia in rural Nigeria. Journal of Rural Studies, 89, 275-286. doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.12.003

Guardian Nigeria. (2023). Dalung hinges Plateau killings on terrorism, not old farmer-herder crisis. Retrieved from https://guardian.ng/news/dalung-hinges-plateau-killings-on-terrorism-not-old-farmer-herder-crisis/ (accessed on 19 November 2025)

Higazi, A. (2016). Farmer‑pastoralist conflicts on the Jos Plateau, central Nigeria: Security responses of local vigilantes and the Nigerian state. Conflict, Security & Development, 16(4), 365-385. doi: 10.1080/14678802.2016.1200314

Hiskett, M. (1973). The sword of truth: The life and times of the Shehu Usuman dan Fodio. New York: Oxford University Press.

Human Rights Watch. (1995). Nigeria: The Ogoni crisis—A case study of military repression in Southeastern Nigeria. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch. (2003). The “Miss World” riots: Continued impunity for killings in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/report/2003/07/01/miss-world-riots/continued-impunity-killings-nigeria (accessed on 15 November 2025).

Ibrahim, J. (1989). The politics of religion in Nigeria: The parameters of the 1987 crisis in Kaduna State. Review of African Political Economy, 16(45-46), 65-82.

International Crisis Group. (2016). Nigeria: Women and the Boko Haram insurgency (Africa Report No. 242). Brussels: International Crisis Group. Retrieved from https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/nigeria/242-nigeria-women-and-boko-haram-insurgency

International Crisis Group. (2017a). Herders against farmers: Nigeria’s expanding deadly donflict (Africa Report No. 252). Brussels: International Crisis Group. Retrieved from https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/nigeria/252-herders-against-farmers-nigerias-expanding-deadly-conflict

International Crisis Group. (2017b). Nigeria: Growing insecurity on multiple fronts. Retrieved from https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/nigeria/nigeria-growing-insecurity-multiple-fronts

Kane, O. (2003). Muslim modernity in postcolonial Nigeria: A study of the society for the removal of innovation and reinstatement of tradition. Leiden: Brill.

Kastfelt, N. (1994). Religion and politics in Nigeria: A study of middle belt Christianity. London: British Academic Press.

Krause, J. (2011). A deadly cycle: Ethno‑Religious conflict in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Geneva: Geneva Declaration Secretariat. Retrieved from https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/142958/GD-WP-Jos-deadly-cycle.pdf

Kukah, M. H. (1993). Religion, politics and power in Northern Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.

Last, M. (1967). The Sokoto Caliphate. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd.

Mustapha, A. R. (Ed.). (2014). Sects & social disorder: Muslim identities & conflict in Northern Nigeria. Woodbridge, UK: James Currey.

News Desk. (2025, December 17). Miyetti Allah members staffing NSA Ribadu-led security operation. Truth Nigeria. Retrieved from https://truthnigeria.com/2025/12/miyetti-allah-members-staffing-nsa-ribadu-led-security-operation/

Nwaneri, M. & Ukandu, M. (2019). Bwari conflict and its management. In Readings in peace and conflict: Essays in honour of Professor Isaac Olawale Albert (pp. 705-720). Ibadan: Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP).

Okoli, A. C. & Lenshie, N. E. (2018). Nigeria: Nomadic migrancy and rural violence in Nigeria. Conflict Studies Quarterly, 25, 68-85.

Onuoha, F. C. (2012). Boko Haram: Nigeria’s extremist Islamic sect. African Security Review, 21(3), 53-65.

Open Doors International. (2023, April). Nigeria: Full country cossierWorld Watch List 2023. Retrieved from https://www.opendoors.org/persecution/reports/Full-Country-Dossier-Nigeria-2023.pdf

Ostien, P. (2014). Jonah Jang and the Jasawa: Ethno-religious conflict in Jos, Nigeria. Abuja: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Ostien, P. (Ed.). (2007). Sharia implementation in Northern Nigeria 1999–2006: A sourcebook (Volumes I–V). Ibadan: Spectrum Books.

Punch Newspaper. (2024). FG must stop pretending—Plateau killings are genocide, says Dalung. Retrieved from https://punchng.com/fg-must-stop-pretending-plateau-killings-are-genocide-dalung/ (accessed on 19 November 2025)

Sahara Reporters. (2025, November 15). Plateau is witnessing genocide: 64 communities forcefully taken over—Buhari’s Minister Solomon Dalung Laments. Retrieved from https://saharareporters.com/2025/11/15/plateau-witnessing-genocide-64-communities-forcefully-taken-over-buharis-minister

Stanton, G. (1996). Ten Stages of Genocide. Genocide Watch. Retrieved from https://www.genocidewatch.com/ten-stages-of-genocide (accessed on 8 December 2025).

Suberu, R. (1994). The democratic recession in Nigeria. Current History, 93(583), 201-205.

Suberu, R. (2001). Federalism and ethnic conflict in Nigeria. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press.

Tribune Online. (2017). Many injured, property destroyed as Gbagyi, Hausa clash in Abuja. Tribune Online. Retrieved from https://tribuneonlineng.com/many-injured-property-destroyed-as-gbagyi-hausa-clash-in-abuja/ (accessed on 17 January 2026).

Ukiwo, U. (2003). Politics, ethno-religious conflicts and democratic consolidation in Nigeria. Journal of Modern African Studies, 41(1), 115–138.

United Nations. (2005). 2005 World Summit Outcome. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/1. New York: United Nations. Retrieved from https://undocs.org/A/RES/60/1

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). (2021). United States Commission on International Religious Freedom 2021 Annual Report: USCIRFRecommended for Countries of Particular Concern (CPC): Nigeria. Washington, DC: USCIRF. Retrieved from https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/Nigeria%20Chapter%20AR2021.pdf

About | Terms & Conditions | Issue | Privacy | Contact us
Copyright © 2001 - David Publishing Company All rights reserved, www.davidpublisher.com
3 Germay Dr., Unit 4 #4651, Wilmington DE 19804; Tel: 001-302-3943358 Email: [email protected]