Religious Conflict Worsens Under Nigeria's Late Military Rule (1993–1999).

Abstract

During the period (1993–1999), Nigeria experienced a turbulent phase marked by the return of military rule and the entrenchment of authoritarianism, which contributed to intensifying conflict within the country. General Sani Abacha assumed power following a military coup in 1993, raising slogans of combating corruption and chaos; however, his regime moved toward repression, banning political parties and pursuing opponents, which deepened feelings of marginalization and division among the religious components. That phase also witnessed extensive arrest campaigns targeting religious and political figures, provoking domestic criticism and international pressure. Following Abacha's death in 1998, Abdulsalami Abubakar assumed power, declaring his commitment to releasing political detainees and moving toward civilian rule. The study accompanied a set of crises that, together with the preceding events, contributed to the escalation of religious conflict — most notably external influences, economic crises, the corruption of military rule, as well as the growth of hardline religious discourse. In contrast, the period was marked by a clear duality represented in the escalation of security repression alongside the expansion of the popular base of the Islamic Movement within Nigerian society...