Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lagos (Fides Service)- Over the past weeks hundreds of people have been killed in episodes of violence in various parts of Nigeria. The highest numbers of victims were reported in riots in the north eastern state of Adamawa, classified as religious by the international press but which, according to Fides sources “are in actual fact social and ethnic. Most of the violence is the result of uncontrolled immigration of people from other parts of the state and bordering states which aggravated existing social difficulties such as lack of work and housing. The religious factor has a secondary role and it is often manipulated by politicians”.
Adamawa state authorities imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the capital, Yola, and dismissed Chief Freddie Soditi Bongo of the Christian Bachama people, charging him with complicity with the violence. Bongo, instigated his people to protest about a mosque built higher than his palace. “The factors which trigger the violence are religious but most of the clashes result from disputes over land or other economic resources between rival communities” Fides sources say.
Religion was not the cause of unrest in the southern district of Buguma where during a police search for smugglers at least 10 people were killed. “Besides this specific episode it must be remembered that a fair distribution of oil profits in this area is the main element in endemic violence in this part of Nigeria” Fides sources say. The local people say they receive no benefit from the local oil fields. “Oil profits are not fairly distributed and that there are many cases of corruption connected with access to the country's vast crude oil receipts” Fides sources say. “However the blame cannot be put only on Nigerians. If people can be corrupted there must be a corrupter, who is certainly not Nigerian. I fact a multinational oil company is being investigated on charges of bribery in Nigeria”.
“Therefore there are many causes for Nigeria’s periodical outbursts of violence which cannot be passed off as simply clashes between Christians and Muslims. Nor can we isolate Nigeria from the world context and many factors together influence events in this big country” Fides sources say and conclude “superficial judgement is the greatest obstacle to finding solutions for problems which are African and universal”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/6/2004 righe 34 parole 427)
