US embassy cable - 03ABUJA2068

UNCLAS ABUJA 002068 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KIRF, PHUM, NI 
SUBJECT: Religious Conflict in Jigawa State 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, NOT FOR PUBLICATION ON THE 
INTERNET OR INTRANET 
 
 
1. Summary: After a blasphemous remark by a Christian 
student in the preceding month, local youths in Jigawa 
State started a protest that led to the burning of 
several religious structures.  Only the quick 
involvement of local leaders prevented the situation 
from getting completely out of control.  End Summary. 
 
 
2. In Kazaure Local Government Area in Jigawa State 
sometime in early October, a female Christian student 
allegedly insulted the prophet Mohammed during an 
argument with classmates.  Tensions slowly simmered 
over the following month as some Muslims publicly 
called for punishment of the student.  School officials 
and the local Emir attempted to maintain peace in the 
area, making public comments that mob rule would not be 
tolerated. 
 
 
3. On November 18, in the early evening, a group (we 
still do not know how large) of youths went en masse to 
the school to demand they be allowed to punish the 
student themselves.  As the protesters arrived at the 
school, the Emir and anti-riot police came to prevent 
any kind of mob justice.  Unfortunately, one of the 
policemen discharged his weapon.  No one was injured by 
the shot, but the crowd immediately dispersed and fled 
the school. 
 
 
4. Some of the youths involved in the protest attempted 
to keep the protest going by setting fire to the 
neighborhood.  Several houses, and possibly as many as 
13 structures used as churches, were burned.  The 
religious buildings were mainly additions to houses 
that could accommodate up to 20 persons for small 
church services.  Police quickly restored order and the 
fire was prevented from spreading to other Christian 
and Muslim areas of the town. 
 
 
5. By the following morning police had restored calm 
and the state government stepped in to assist by 
assigning more police to the area.  The local police 
chief held a formal press conference to address the 
issue, and there has been no recurrence of any 
disruption of the peace in Kazaure since. 
 
 
6. COMMENT: This cycle of minor incident leading to 
communal conflict is typical of what is often termed 
ethno-religious violence in Nigeria.  Economic 
depression, unemployment and dissatisfaction with the 
government are issues that many Nigerians cannot 
address directly, and this lack of control over one's 
life is a wellspring of pent-up rage that can come 
bubbling to the surface over the smallest slight.  Many 
Nigerians who have nothing else in their life turn to 
religion for comfort and guidance, and when they 
perceive their beliefs to be threatened they can 
quickly lash out as a method for trying to have control 
over one small aspect of their daily lives.  In this 
instance, at least, local leaders, both religious and 
secular, tried to maintain the peace from the very 
beginning.  Their involvement is what kept the 
situation from getting further out of hand. 
 
 
MEECE