"Increasingly deadly attacks on churches by Boko Haram [...] Islamist group, are straining fragile relations between Christians and Muslims. Attacking churches is not new for Boko Haram but it has turned its attention to targets in Nigeria's 'middle belt' where the two populations mix, often stoking ferocious retaliation. Christian leaders have been warning that the patience of their flocks 'will wear out'."
Although sectarian violence has been going on for a long time, the current muslim-based "insurgency" started in 2009. Suicide-homicide bombings, sniper shootings, brazen assassination shootings, kidnappings, are all activities of the Boko Haram. The national government makes some attempt to address the situation (i.e. the president, who is Christian, hired a muslim to be his national security advisor) but has not succeeded in preventing the activist muslim group from carving out a muslim state for itself, particularly in the NE area of the country, although the entire northern half of the country is predominantly muslim (see map). Sharia law has been implemented in 9 of the northern states (Sharia law is still alien to Americans who have not had to live under its rules, influence, punishments, and laws). Although social issues other than religion play a role as usual in political conflicts (standard of living concerns, ethinic and tribal issues, legal issues, poor law enforcement, corruption), religion and their respective cultural differences are becoming the primary influences promoted in the conflict. International joint Christian-Muslim committees/delegations are trying to address the issue, so we can only wait and see if peaceful coexistance is possible without separation (i.e. Sudan).
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