[ 2013-05-04 ]

'At least 20 die' in Nigeria sectarian violence
KANO, Nigeria (AFP) - At least 20 people were
killed in violent clashes between Christian and
Muslim mobs in central Nigeria's Taraba state on
Friday, prompting a round-the-clock curfew, an aid
worker has told AFP.

"We have recovered 20 bodies from the violence so
far," the source said Saturday, adding that the
unrest had occurred in the town of Wukari, some
200 kilometres (125 miles) from the state capital
Jalingo.

"We are still going round the town in search of
more bodies," he said on condition of anonymity
because he was not authorised to speak to the
media about death tolls.

Local residents said Friday's violence erupted
when the funeral procession of a traditional chief
from the predominantly Christian Jukun ethnic
group marched through a Muslim neighbourhood
chanting slogans, which Muslims viewed as an act
of provocation.

A Tabara state police spokesman and a spokesman
for the state governor confirmed the unrest but
declined to give a death toll.

"There was fighting between some Christian and
Muslim mobs yesterday in Wukari during the funeral
procession of a traditional ruler but the
situation has been brought under control by
security personnel and we are awaiting a
comprehensive report on the situation," Joseph
Kwaji, Taraba state police spokesman said.

"The state governor has imposed a 24-hour curfew
on Wukari which is aimed at restoring normalcy in
the town" after the fighting, said Kefas Sule,
spokesman for the state governor.

Tensions have been on the rise in the mostly
Christian town of Wukari since February, when a
dispute over the use of a football pitch between
Muslim and Christian soccer teams set off
sectarian riots that claimed several lives.

Friday's violence came a day after the state
government inaugurated a committee to investigate
the February violence.

It also follows a surge in violence and
kidnappings in the restive north of Nigeria, the
epicentre of an insurgency by Boko Haram
Islamists, in recent months.

In late April fierce fighting between soldiers and
Islamic fighters in the remote northeastern town
of Baga left 187 dead, according to the Red Cross,
in the deadliest episode since the insurgency
began in 2009.

An area senator put the death toll from the attack
at 228, but details remain murky about the clashes
which also left nearly half the town destroyed
after massive fires.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday released satellite
images showing massive destruction in Baga,
voicing concern that the military has "tried to
cover up" abuses that should be investigated by
the International Criminal Court.

The military has pushed back aggressively against
these reports and fiercely denied claims that
soldiers fired on civilians or deliberately
torched scores of homes.

The global rights watchdog said the insurgency in
north and central Nigeria by Boko Haram has
claimed 3,600 lives since 2009, including killings
by the security forces.

Nigeria's former oil minister, Shettima Ali
Monguno, 87, was kidnapped Friday by gunmen who
stormed his vehicle outside a mosque in the
restive city of Maiduguri, a stronghold of Boko
Haram.

Source - AFP

... go Back