by Elizabeth Ikpaha

Over the past five decades, both Kenya and Nigeria have experienced significant instances of violence, including coups, civil wars, and terrorist activities, each shaped by their unique political and social landscapes.

Kenya has been through different kinds of internal conflict. In 1982, some members of the Kenyan Air Force tried to overthrow President Daniel arap Moi’s government, but they were quickly put down. The country has also had problems with racial issues, most notably the violence after the 2007–2008 elections, when disputed results led to fights that killed over 1,200 people and forced about 350,000 to leave their homes. Kenya has also been the target of terrorist attacks, mostly by the Somalia-based group Al-Shabaab. These attacks include the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi in 2013 and the Garissa University College attack in 2015, which killed hundreds of people.

Nigeria has been through more violence, such as a civil war, several coups, and constant terrorist threats. Over a million people died during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), which was also called the Biafran War. Most of them died of hunger. There have been several military coups in the country, most famously in 1966, 1975, 1983, and 1985, which led to long times of military rule. Since 2009, Nigeria has been dealing with an uprising by Boko Haram, an Islamist terrorist group that has killed thousands of people and forced many to flee their homes. Attacks are often directed at civilians, like the famous 2014 kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls.

 Both countries have taken different steps to deal with these disputes, such as sending troops, negotiating peace, and changing the law. However, problems still exist because of deeper problems like racial tensions, unstable governments, and unequal wealth. Kenya’s wars have been more limited and short-lived, while Nigeria’s have been more general and long-lasting. This is because their political past and social structures are different.