ABSTRACT
The issue of religious extremism in Nigeria has being on the rise over the years and consequently has resulted to several issues bordering to insecurity. This work looks critically into The Nexus between Religious Extremism and Terrorism: The Nigerian Experience. The problem this study confronts is the issue of terrorism in Nigeria which is basically caused by religious extremism as practiced by various religions in the country. The aim of the work is to look at the issue of religious extremism and terrorism and the Nigerian experience. The study adopts the method of qualitative analysis. The study further looked at the concepts of religion, extremism, religious extremism, terrorism; the religious motivation in joining groups as well as instances of religious extremism in Nigeria. The study exposes that religious freedom in Nigeria appears to be undermined by religious extremism and government failure to act. Consequently, the resultant effect is the heightened religious tolerance which has become more violent with more devastating results using the militias as the executors of religious agenda characterized by an increase in number of religious crises in Nigeria. The study also looked at some implications of religious extremism and terrorism in Nigeria such as poverty, elite interest/manipulation, religious ideologies and fear of de-establishment among religious majorities. In light of the above, this study recommends that there is need to revive national consciousness, re-orientate the people and Nigerians should imbibe spirit of tolerance of each other’s religious leanings and shift their loyalties to the national constitution government to engender national integration
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