Nile Journal of Political Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp 38-49. Effects of Boko Haram Insurgency on Religious Cleavages in Nigeria 38 Nile Journal of Political Science NJPS (2018) ©Copyright by NUN Effects of Boko Haram Insurgency on Religious Cleavages in Nigeria Bello Sani Kabara Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano Department of History and International Studies bskask27@yahoo.com Kabiru Ibrahim Danguguwa Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano Department of History and International Studies kabiru.ibrahim87@gmail.com. Abstract With their open claims on recorded video/audio clips to Islamize Nigeria with the force of war, Boko Haram attacks on the Nigerian civilian population in places of worship has further exacerbated existing religious cleavage among the adherents of the two major religions -- Islam and Christianity --- in Nigeria. This is why this article offers critical analysis of patterns of rhetoric between leaders and adherents of the two religious groups, which centers on their viewpoints of the sponsors, agenda and principle targets of the insurgents. Based on Lipset and Rokkan’s (1967) theory of social cleavage, the findings indicate that the kind of rhetoric that Boko Haram attacks spurred among leaders and followers of the two religions has produced the deepest and bitterest opposition among the two religious groups, therefore affected relations.. Keywords: Boko Haram, Group Division, Religion and Social Cleavage Theory. Introduction This article examines how Boko Haram insurgency [BH insurgency] has affected existing religious cleavage within Nigerian society. The article begins by exploring the genesis of cleavage between the two major religions —Islam