CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND THE QUESTION OF SELF-DEFENCEIN THE FACE OF VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The persistent rise in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal
conflicts and other forms of violence has intensified ethical debates
concerning the legitimacy of self-defence within Christian thought,
particularly in Nigeria's fragile security environment. This study
examines the question of self-defence from the perspective of Christian
social ethics, with the aim of evaluating the biblical, theological and
ethical foundations of defensive force, assessing the moral limits of selfdefence, and determining its relevance to contemporary insecurity. The
study adopted a qualitative research design, relying on documentary
sources. Data were collected from the Bible, books, journal articles and
other relevant scholarly publications and analysed using historical,
theological and content analytical methods. Findings reveal that
Christian ethics consistently upholds peace, forgiveness and
reconciliation as fundamental moral ideals, while recognising that
carefully regulated self-defence may be morally permissible where
innocent lives face imminent danger and peaceful alternatives have
failed. The study demonstrates that ethical self-defence must satisfy the
principles of just cause, proportionality, right intention and last resort. It
recommends greater peace education, ethical guidance by church
leaders, stronger interfaith collaboration and sustained engagement with
the structural causes of violence. The study concludes that Christian
ethics provides a balanced moral framework that safeguards human
dignity, promotes justice and encourages peace without legitimising
revenge or indiscriminate violence