| Part of Yan Tatsine uprising | |
| Date | Dec 18-29, 1980[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Kano, Nigeria |
| Coordinates | 11°59′31″N 8°32′17″E / 11.992°N 8.538°E |
| Deaths | ~4,500 (based on mortuary estimates) |
The Kano 1980 riot was a riot in Kano, Nigeria led by Maitatsine and his followers[2] and the first major religious conflict in postcolonial Kano.[1]
Over 4,177 civilians, 100 policemen and about 35 military personnel were killed, including Maitatsine himself, and is generally regarded as marking the beginning of the Yan Tatsine insurgency. Because of this, there was widespread impression that Nigeria's security and economy was threatened by illegal aliens and this belief was fueled by the fact that other West African nationals had aided in armed robberies. Illegal immigrants where from Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso along with over 6,000 Nigerian Muslim fanatics killed over 100 policemen while injuring 100 policemen. The army was called and alleviated the situation before the fanatics could overrun the country. However, official sources state that illegal aliens did not cause the trouble.[3]
- ^ a b Isaac Olawale Albert, G. N. Uzoigwe (1999). Inter-ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution in Nigeria. Lexington Books. p. 29. ISBN 9780739100332. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ^ The Maitatsine Riots in Kano, 1980: An Assessment
- ^ Abegunrin, Olayiwola (2003). Nigerian Foreign Policy Under Military Rule, 1966-1999. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 103. ISBN 0275978818. Retrieved June 19, 2015.