Ethno-Religious Conflict in Zangon-Kataf, Kaduna State: Rethinking Government Response for Sustainable Peace

Abstract

Nigeria’s political history has been shaped by the persistent interplay of ethnic and religious identities, which often overlap and fuel recurrent crises. Zangon-Kataf in Kaduna State offers a striking case, where disputes over land, markets, and political recognition have repeatedly escalated into violent clashes between Atyap (Christian) and Hausa (Muslim) communities. This paper examines government responses to these conflicts—particularly the 1992 crisis and subsequent outbreaks in 2000 and 2011—through the twin lenses of Conflict Transformation Theory and State Legitimacy Theory. Adopting a historical-analytical case study approach, the study draws on commissions of inquiry reports, newspaper archives, government documents, and peer-reviewed scholarship to assess both the logic and outcomes of state interventions. Findings reveal that government strategies, ranging from tribunals to curfews, relied heavily on regulatory containment rather than structural transformation. While these measures temporarily restored order, they failed to resolve deeper grievances of exclusion, marginalization, and recognition. The opacity of commission reports and perceived bias of tribunals further eroded state legitimacy, reinforcing cycles of mistrust and recurrence of violence. The paper argues that sustainable peace in Southern Kaduna requires a paradigm shift from reactive regulation toward proactive transformation. This includes institutionalizing inclusive governance, ensuring transparent and participatory justice mechanisms, empowering multi-level actors in peacebuilding, and addressing socioeconomic inequalities. By doing so, the Nigerian state can move beyond coercive management to a legitimacy-based peace that affirms diversity while promoting national unity.