Every conflict is unique. For it does not occur in a vacuum but are dependent on specific circumstances and significant vested interests of the factions involved. The sectarian conflict in Northern Nigeria has attracted global concern to the horrendous activities of the Islamist rebel group Boko Haram. The spasmodic nature of the conflict and attacks shows a frightening example of how a society can disintegrate, and how fear can be exploited by the power of a media in the hands of those unscrupulous enough to wield it as a weapon by ensuring public opinion is mobilized behind the different participants.
A Nigerian study on demographics and religion shows that Muslims mainly from the North make up 50.5% of the population. The Islamic jihadist organization Boko Haram, founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002, sought to establish a “pure” Islamic state governed by sharia law, putting a stop to what it deems “Western education (and culture) is sin.” By exerting influence in the northeastern Nigeria states of Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Kano, the group has attacked Christians and government targets, kidnapped school children and attacked police stations. It has kidnapped western tourists but has also assassinated members of the Islamic establishment who disagreed with them. Violence linked to Boko Haram insurgency has resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths between 2002 and 2013.
In 2009 an investigation into the group’s activities led to the arrest of several rebels in Bauchi. Mohammed Yusuf was also killed during this time while still in police custody. After Yusuf’s killing, a new leader emerged whose identity was not known at the time. In January 2012, Abubakar Shekau, now successor to Yusuf, posted on You Tube his control of the militant group. By early 2012, Boko Haram was responsible for over 900 deaths.
The sectarian conflict in Northern Nigeria is premised on the belief that Boko Haram is motivated by inter-ethnic disputes as much as religion, and that its founder Yusuf believed there was a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” by Plateau State governor Jonah Jang against the Hausa and Fulani people. This has solidified its ideals, the need to be more alert and to also employ offensive tactics against any oppositional interest group. And so the consequences had been gargantuan- guerilla attacks on markets, shops, church, government buildings, killing hundreds of civilians and displacing thousands out of fear.
Yusufu Turaki (PhD in Social Ethics, Boston University, 1982) in his Historical Roots of Crises and Conflicts in Nigeria with References to Northern Nigeria and Kaduna State, points out that, the historical roots of crises and conflicts in Nigeria and Kaduna State (Northern Nigeria in particular) can be traced back to the primordial social factors of ethnography, religion and culture. Further, “we have heard some Nigerians who state that the current spade of crises and conflicts are not religious but political, ethnic or economic.
From the discourse so far, it can be deduced that the type of conflict which best fits the Northern Nigerian situation, is (to my mind) a religio-political conflict. This stems from the huge divide of the country into a majority Muslim North comprising the Fulani, Hausa and the Kanuri groups (50.0%) whose influence stretches over to the dominant Christian South comprising the Yoruba and Igbos among others (48.5%). This narrow majority has spiced insurgent groups like the Boko Haram to preach and fight for the introduction of an all Islamic state which will adopt the sharia law.
It is important also to mention that there are some Muslim settlers in the South who support government ideology and decisions and are benefiting from all things “western” which the militant group calls “haram- Western education is sin.” The sectarian conflict in Northern Nigeria is a very delicate matter, one deserving a strong peace pact between government and Boko Haram and the realization on their part to the loss of lives and destruction of properties.
The Nigerian media has tried to develop sensitivity of the conflict by adhering to journalism ethics and principles. That is, publishing and broadcasting accurate, truthful, and balanced news reports. In crises of this magnitude, and to adopting strategies to rectify it, the following proposal will help for peace mediation by the Nigerian media:
• It must play an independent role in promoting democratic principles, supplying credible information, and monitoring accountable and transparent governance. Independence can ensure the media’s capability to resist manipulation by selfishly motivated actors and credibly act as a watchdog for transparent governance and to resist other inflammatory escalation pressures. Promoting literacy can also be vital in order to provide populations with tools to assess the credibility of information and to look for alternative sources.
• Promotion of media credibility based on "truthfulness" rather than objectivity is more realistic and sustainable. Experience and research has shown that credibility and truthfulness are more important than neutrality or objectivity.
• It must focus on reducing perceptions of threat and zero-sum attitudes usually directly prior to, or after, higher levels of violence. One way to do this is, is by using decent words, avoiding hate speeches from participants, and reporting positively on the situation including the remedies to adopt rather than dominating the airwaves or newspapers with the horrors of the conflict.
• There must be assessments of information needs, and the role and security situation of journalists. It can call on the International Media Support (IMS) for assistance in more training on war reporting.
Although the sectarian conflict in Northern Nigeria has caused the deaths of thousands and the destruction of social amenities, there is much hope for an end to the calamity. Foreign support, religious bodies intervention and a peace pact between the rebel group Boko Haram and the government, can manifest this grand change.
Comments