Once again Muslims who do not get their way turn violent. The latest case is over the results of a local election in Nigeria. The winners were the Christian backed ruling party the People's Democratic Party. The Muslims claimed that the election was rigged and started rioting. This time the Christians fought back as hundreds of people have been killed.
Riots 'kill hundreds in Nigeria'
Vanessa Heaney reports on the violence in Nigeria
Hundreds of people are reported to have been killed in central Nigeria after Christians and Muslims clashed over the result of a local election.
A Muslim charity in the town of Jos says it collected more than 300 bodies, and fatalities are also expected among Christians.
There is no official confirmation yet, and figures are notoriously unreliable in Nigeria, says the BBC's Alex Last.
Police have imposed a 24-hour curfew and the army is patrolling the streets.
They have been given orders to shoot on sight in an effort to quell hostilities that mark the worst clashes in the restive West African nation since 2004.
For the second straight day on Saturday, angry mobs went through the town burning homes, churches and mosques.
The Nigerian Red Cross says at least 10,000 people have fled their homes.
Contested election
The mostly Christian-backed governing party, the People's Democratic Party, was declared to have won the state elections in Plateau state, of which Jos is the capital city.
The result was contested by the opposition All Nigeria People's Party, which has support from Muslims.
Violence started on Thursday night as groups of angry youths burnt tires on the roads over reports of election rigging.
Bodies from the Muslim Hausa community were brought into the central mosque compound.
The local imam, Sheikh Khalid Abubakar, said more than 300 dead bodies were brought there on Saturday alone.
Those killed in the Christian community would probably be taken to the city morgue, raising the possibility that the total death toll could be much higher.
Police spokesman Bala Kassim said there were "many dead," but couldn't cite a firm number.
Despite the overnight curfew, groups in some areas took to the streets again as soon as police patrols had passed by.
To view a video of the damage
4 comments:
Practically all the news media are reporting this as if both sides are at fault.
Since the Christians won the election why would they riot and start trouble?
yeah truly a great site.I really enjoyed my visit.
Too bad, If I don't call Nigeria a on a regular bases I would be left with what the media tell me which is mostly nothing.
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