PEACE EDUCATION, MODIFIED EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND REDUCTION OF VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The first recorded religious violence in Nigeria was in Kano in 1952, then Maitasene crisis of early 1980s and the emergence of Boko Haram in 2002in the Northern part of the country while efforts to institutionalize peace in a badly divided societies has a herculean task. The absence of peace education in theeducational curriculum Nigeria is worrisome leading to indoctrinated youth serving as vanguard for violence.The paper therefore examined the place of modified educational curriculum in instilling ofculture of peace to minimize violence. The study was descriptive and relied on secondary data sources.It found that the division along ethnic and religious lines made nationalism a mirage while the governments failed to develop the political will to guarantee good governance.The study concluded that the neglect of peace education in the nation?s educational curriculum is a serious challenge while its inclusion could inculcate a culture of peace to curb terrorism and other form of violence. It recommended the inclusion of peace education in the nation?s educational curriculum and the training of instructors as well as adequately funding and monitoring the program to ensure that violence is minimized particularly in Northern part of Nigeria and the nation. Finally, the support of other actors in the educational sector is imperative to complement instruction from schools.