3 REASONS SOUTHERN NIGERIAN MUSLIMS ARE ALSO VICTIMS OF ATTACKS BY NORTHERN MUSLIM EXTREMISTS DURING RELIGIOUS CRISES By Henry Harvestman

Southern Muslims

(Using Kano, Kaduna, and Jos as case studies)

During religious crises in the North, Southern Muslims have also been victims of attacks — not by all Northern Muslims, but by extremist elements among them.

In such times, Southern Muslims often flee to Christian-dominated areas for shelter and safety. As a Southern Muslim caught in a Northern religious crisis, you may find yourself safer among Christians than among Northern Muslims. This is a claim drawn from observation, and I stand open to correction if evidence suggests otherwise.

1. They are seen as "fake" Muslims. Some Northern Muslims believe Southerners converted to Islam for convenience — access to food, business connections, or social advantage — rather than out of genuine faith.

2.  They are viewed as outsiders to the faith. In some Northern mosques, Southern Muslims are not permitted to lead prayers, as they are seen by some as not fully belonging to the Islamic community there.

3. They are often suspected of being informants. Many Northern Muslims are wary of trusting Southern Muslims with sensitive religious or community discussions, partly because of their closer ties to Christianity — many Southern Muslims marry Christian women, and vice versa.