This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8467224.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Nigeria religious clashes spread | Nigeria religious clashes spread |
(10 minutes later) | |
Religious clashes have spread to a new area of the central Nigerian city of Jos, where fighting on Sunday reportedly killed at least 20 people. | |
Rival gangs of Christian and Muslim youths have put up roadblocks and gunfire is reported from the city. | |
A doctor told the BBC that more bodies had arrived in the mortuary, while a 24-hour curfew has been imposed. | |
The area has a history of ethnic and religious tension - at least 200 people were in 2008 and 1,000 in 2001. | |
Extra troops and police are been sent to the newly affected areas. | |
The Plateau State authorities have said that more than 60 arrests have been made but they have not said how many people have died since Sunday. | |
Some are in the church, some in the mosque... they are scared Red Cross official Awwal Madobi | Some are in the church, some in the mosque... they are scared Red Cross official Awwal Madobi |
Houses, mosques and churches were set alight on Sunday. | |
At least 3,000 people have fled their homes, according to the Red Cross. | |
Plateau State spokesman Dan Manjang said it was not yet known what had sparked the unrest. | Plateau State spokesman Dan Manjang said it was not yet known what had sparked the unrest. |
He told the BBC's Network Africa programme there were reports that it may have started after a football match - although he said that would surprising. | He told the BBC's Network Africa programme there were reports that it may have started after a football match - although he said that would surprising. |
Reuters news agency quotes residents as saying the violence started after an argument over the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the 2008 clashes. | Reuters news agency quotes residents as saying the violence started after an argument over the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the 2008 clashes. |
Nigerian Red Cross official in Jos Awwal Madobi told the BBC that families had fled the violence. | Nigerian Red Cross official in Jos Awwal Madobi told the BBC that families had fled the violence. |
"Some are in the church, some in the mosque and the NDLEA (Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency)," he said. | "Some are in the church, some in the mosque and the NDLEA (Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency)," he said. |
"It's not that they are directly affected but they are scared and want to be somewhere secure for their safety." | "It's not that they are directly affected but they are scared and want to be somewhere secure for their safety." |
He said they needed blankets and food as they had fled empty-handed. | He said they needed blankets and food as they had fled empty-handed. |
Jos is in Nigeria's volatile Middle Belt - between the mainly Muslim north and the south where the majority is Christian or follows traditional religions. | |
Correspondents say such clashes in Nigeria are often blamed on sectarianism, however poverty and access to resources such as land often lies at the root of the violence. | Correspondents say such clashes in Nigeria are often blamed on sectarianism, however poverty and access to resources such as land often lies at the root of the violence. |