Zango Kartaf Religious Crisis... Lessons learnt !!!

Religious conflicts all over the world has been a societal and environmental  issue as far back as 12 BC, but this man-made disaster still rings a bell and turns the head of everyone who hears about its occurrence in any part of the world. They have been many histories of war, violence, disputes and environmental conflicts in countries of different ethnic groups, culture, language and even religion even from the days of Greek and Roman deities like Zeus, Poseidon and even Athena which rolls back to thousands of years ago. From that time till date, stories and events of religious wars of superiority has been in existence and still occurs in many countries of the world which includes our very own Nigeria.

Nigeria is predominately made up of two religious groups which include the Christians and the Muslims ever since her amalgamation in 1914 and the both group are predominately found in the southern and northern regions respectively. Despite the religious differences, the both groups have since coexisted peacefully and this is the reason why you many Christians are seen living, schooling and doing businesses in the northern part of the country peacefully. Marriages have even been seen exist peacefully between the both different religious and children have been raised in love, humility and peace.

However, ever since the first religious outburst crisis in 1987 at the College of Education Kafanchan, in Kaduna state, no one has been at ease as most of the right thinking members of the society described the incident as ugly. This crisis soon spread to other parts of the state leading to the burning of places of worship, with many lives and properties worth millions lost.
When the situation got out of hand, the Army stepped in by declaring a dusk to dawn curfew with a shoot at sight order of any person or group of persons found perpetrating violence in any form or constituting nuisance. Life in Kaduna State returned to normal after about a week and most people believed that such a thing would not happen again being the first religious crisis ever in Northern Nigeria.
Without knowing that more was coming as there were more surprises, a similar crisis was recorded in 1992, in Zango Kataf which was believed to of be an ethnic dimension. The town of Zango-Kataf is an enclave of mainly Muslim Hausa-Fulanis in an area dominated by the mostly Christian Katafs. Although the tension between the two communities has been long-standing, in February 1992, riot broke out over a local government decision to move the market from a Hausa area to one dominated by Katafs. Sixty people were killed and properties were destroyed including residential houses, and cars owned by the both groups. As if all that was not enough, the last straw broke the camels back in May of the same year and the worst rioting broke out. This was reported to have occurred apparently after the Kataf attacked the Hausa community and the violence spread to Kaduna, where it was mainly directed by Hausa against Christians. Several churches were burned down and Christian ministers killed. The official death toll was 300 but unofficial estimates were as high as several thousand. In addition, Over 60,000 people abandoned their business and fled their homes to the nearby states for safety. 

The conflict in Zango-Kataf in southern Kaduna State illustrates the explosive mix of religious and ethnic rivalry, as well as the highly partial approach of the authorities which has succeeded in inflaming conflict. Neighbours killed neighbours and several children and women were badly affected aside the men who were slaughtered inflicting trauma and tension to all involved.

The official response to the violence was to arrest several hundred Katafs, most of whom were held without charge. Six prominent Katafs, including Major-General Zamani Lekwot, a former ambassador, were charged with complicity in the riots before a specially constituted Civil Disturbances Special Tribunal. The prosecution withdrew its case, but the accused were rearrested by security agents as they left the court.

By September 1991, they were charged again, with a total of 14 people being sentenced to death by two Civil Disturbances Tribunals, including Major-General Lekwot. The hearings had all the same defects as the tribunal which heard the case of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists, since they were constituted under the same law. In this instance, the Government commuted the death sentences to five years' imprisonment.
Although another religious crisis which spread to other parts of the country was recorded in 1999, its impact was not as in depth as that of the Zango Kartaf 1991. Conflicts are known to exist but can also be avoided with a dialogue or mutual peaceful resolution instead of destroying lives and properties and also making children homeless and vulnerable.

Aside the ugly events of the Nigerian civil war, other conflicts like the Zango Kartaf, Aguleri/Umuleri, the Jos crisis and political riots from the masses have never changed the position of the government. This is because it is only the government that have a better understanding of the needs, issues and problems of the people and works day in and out to meet them. Patriotism is not dying for the nation or killing other people in the name of religion, patriotism is standing by the government and loving one another as religious conflicts can be settled with the love values every Nigerian religion represents.