Ethno-Religious Crisis - The North And the Rest of the Country.

Byline: Umar Yusuf

IT is estimated that over one hundred thousand Nigerians have lost their lives in ethno-religious crisis that have engulfed the country since the enthronement of democracy in 1979. The number of those injured triples the dead, while those displaced are put at millions.

The Maitatsine crisis in Kano in the early 80's masterminded by late Mohammadu Marwa claimed the lives of thousands of Nigerians both Christians and Muslims and from different parts of the country and even beyond her shores. My friend and colleague, late Tunde Amao of the defunct Daily Times, was shot in the chest with the poisonous arrow of the Maitatsine group close to their enclave while he was attempting to capture the latest of the uprising. All these are now history.

Not quite five years after the Maitatsine riot which was purely religious, another uprising enveloped the ancient city of Kano, precisely in 1985 or thereafter.

This time around it was the Akaluka riot. Akaluka, who hailed from the Eastern part of the country, was then accused of toying with the Holy Qu'ran, either in his business place or residence. The Muslims around him felt slighted and demanded for his death. The …