Conflict and The Challenge to Effective Conflict Management in Kaduna State

The pursuit of a safe, secured and egalitarian society in Kaduna state has since 1980 to date been challenged by the occurrence of series of conflicts with ethnic, religious and political coloration which over the years defied solutions evolved by government to check them. This paper argued that mitigating the tense and conflicts situation must start with social integration as a means of curbing social distance that has become the face of post conflict 2000 and 2011 crisis in Kaduna state. The consequence of these conflicts lay not in the destruction of lives and property but has led to an emerging trend of "social distance" among groups that has resulted in the populace of the state divided (including settlement) along religious and ethnic lines. This paper using a documentary method discussed the causes of violent eruptions; the method used for managing conflicts such as the use of force via security operatives, curfews, institution of boards of enquiry among others and the challenges that had impinged on the inability of the government to effectively manage those conflicts. This paper recommends the genuine balancing, protection and inclusion of the interests of all the divergent groups in the governance process as well as evolves a just and fair methods in the process of resource allocation among the divergent groupings in the state. There should also be the adoption and utilization of the ADR methodology in setting conflict in Kaduna state as a way forward for peaceful social groups integration in the state