IMPACT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS ON THE CHURCH IN NORTHERN NIGERIA FROM 1980 TO 2019

For over two decades now Northern Nigeria has witnessed an escalation of different kinds of violent conflicts. These conflicts often take a religious dimension. They include communal, political, ethnic, and religious conflicts. Other forms of conflicts experienced in Northern Nigeria include ethno­ religious conflicts, herdsmen-farmers crisis, and Boko Haram attacks. This paper based on research on Baptist Churches in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, examines the effects of these conflicts on the Christians and their churches in Northern Nigeria. It argues that the violent conflicts have impact on the church. It highlights the negative and positive impact of the conflicts on the church. It is predicted that in spite of (he challenges, the church will not die in Northern Nigeria