THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN NIGERIA

Upsurge of Boko Haram, a religious sect with origins from northern Nigeria, and the activities of members of the said sect recently threatened to force the country into war. The Boko Haram sect, is responsible for the destruction of lives and properties. Their activities, sporadic at the moment is as an act of terror, unpatriotic and therefore, unacceptable.
More importantly, how should religion be employed to help in settling this sort of crisis? In an attempt to answer the question bothering on the role of religion and religious leaders, two key recommendations must be followed.

•       Leaders of Islam in Nigeria must vehemently renounce the Boko Haram sect who claim that their activities; bombing and killing of helpless citizens of Nigeria, are in accordance with Islamic law.

Note that Boko Haram leaders have declared Jihad (Holy War), urging its members all over Nigeria to take up weapons and start killing. That Islam is meant for killing. Kill all except the old and those who believe in Allah and reject western education. Sad however, is the fact that most of the victims of Bomb blasts are muslems, what then is the justification of this so called war? Why kill those who are not at war with you? The sect was also the mastermind behind the abduction of over 276 girls, students of Chibok secondary school. And if the information that the girls were taken out of the country and married off to their abductors in Chad, Niger and Cameroon, what exactly will the abduction of the girls benefit a Holy War?

•      Leaders of both Islam and Christians must must agree all over again to accommodate one another as they have been doing before Boko Haram in Nigeria without any more bloodshed, hate or envy. This will in turn imply that religious leaders will also express their willingness to cooperate with the Nigerian Government in the search and capture of members of the sect.

These recommendations must be followed to the later if peace must return to the country. The situation surrounding the abduction of the Chibok girls must not repeat. More importantly, the girls must be rescued at all cost. "The Bring Back Our Girls" campaign launched by the entire Nigerian population should provide an added encouragement to the Federal Government (FG) in this regard.