Religious Violence in Nigeria: Causes and Consequences

Religious violence has been responsible for the collapse of many nations in many parts of the world. Responsible manipulation of religion has also been found to be behind the rapid growth and might of some powerful nations today. In Nigeria, experience shows that the incidence of religious violence has become a yearly ritual, often leading to the destruction of lives and property, the loss of precious time, money and energy. This way of handling religion leads to self-destruction, backwardness and abandoning the word of God. This paper examines the forms, causes, the consequences of religious violence on the people and nation and finally suggests measures considered capable of eradicating the menace in the country. SOPHIA: An African Journal of Philosophy Vol. 8 (2) 2006: pp. 153-15