Posted on 09/08/2001 7:53:55 AM PDT by blam
Saturday, 8 September, 2001, 13:43 GMT 14:43 UK
Religious violence explodes in Nigeria
Nigerian authorities have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the central town of Jos after religious violence left many dead. Fighting between Christians and Muslims broke out near a mosque before Friday night prayers and quickly spread through the town, witnesses said.
No official death toll was available, but several witnesses reported seeing dead bodies left on the street.
There were also reports of victims having their eyes gouged out and of Christian vigilante groups armed with axes patrolling the town.
Jos has largely been spared the religious violence which has rocked neighbouring cities such as Kaduna, where hundreds of people were killed in fighting last year.
The latest trouble appears to have been triggered when a Christian woman crossed a traffic barricade near the central mosque area on Friday.
Reports said tension in the city had risen since a Muslim was appointed chairman of a state poverty reduction programme.
Religious differences are always tinder for the flame. But, it seems in many parts of Africa that tribalism is the biggest source of trouble. Does anyone knowledgable about Nigeria know if the religious leanings are correlated with tribal membership? If so...would make things worse.
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