Author(s) :

Solomon Enema Ogidi.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This paper examines the interplay between ethno-religious conflicts, declining state capacity, and the crisis of governance in Southern Kaduna, Nigeria. Drawing on secondary sources including peer- transformation, and governance deficit. The paper argues that the recurrent ethno-religious reviewed journal articles, think-tank reports, and documentary evidence, the paper situates the persistent cycle of violence in Southern Kaduna within broader theoretical frameworks of state fragility, conflict clashes in the region are not merely the product of primordial ethnic or religious animosities but are deeply rooted in colonial legacies of differential incorporation, postcolonial structures of political exclusion, structural inequalities, and the systematic deficit of successive Nigerian governments at federal, state, and local levels to perform basic state functions. The analysis identifies the erosion of state legitimacy, the proliferation of small arms, the penetration of criminal networks into communal conflicts, and elite political manipulation of ethno-religious identities as the central drivers of the governance crisis. The paper concludes with policy recommendations that emphasise inclusive governance, transitional justice, community-level peacebuilding, and institutional reform as essential pillars for achieving durable peace and sustainable development in Southern Kaduna. Keywords: Ethno-religious conflict, State capacity, Governance crisis, Political exclusion, Peacebuilding

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