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All-day curfew over Nigeria riots | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Nigeria's authorities have ordered a 24-hour curfew in the central city of Jos after fighting resumed between gangs of Christian and Muslim youths. | |
Gunfire has been heard, while smoke is rising from burning buildings. At least 20 people are reported to have been killed since Sunday. | |
A doctor told the BBC that more bodies had arrived in the mortuary. | |
Extra troops have been deployed to the area, which has seen several bouts of deadly violence in recent years. | |
At least 200 people were killed in clashes between Muslims and Christians 2008, while some 1,000 died in 2001. | |
'Machine-gun fire' | |
Houses, mosques and churches were set alight on Sunday. | Houses, mosques and churches were set alight on Sunday. |
All residents are hereby directed to stay indoors as security agents work towards restoring peace Gregory YenlongPlateau State information commissioner | |
At least 3,000 people have fled their homes, according to the Red Cross. | At least 3,000 people have fled their homes, according to the Red Cross. |
Residents say many buildings have been set on fire, especially in the northern parts of the city. | |
"As early as 4 am (0300 GMT), we started hearing gunshots and machine-gun fire and this has gone on for hours," Dr Aboi Madaki, who works at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, told the Reuters news agency. | |
"I saw soldiers moving into town and I can see smoke coming from many places." | |
Plateau State information commissioner Gregory Yenlong said a dusk-to-dawn curfew had now been extended. | |
"All residents are hereby directed to stay indoors as security agents work towards restoring peace," he told the AFP news agency. | |
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. | |
'Scared' | |
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. |
Jos has known several previous bouts of violence | |
Reuters news agency quoted 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 many 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. | 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. |