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Nigeria riot city 'under control' | Nigeria riot city 'under control' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
The Nigerian army says it has regained control of the city of Jos, where fighting between Muslims and Christians in recent days has left scores dead. | The Nigerian army says it has regained control of the city of Jos, where fighting between Muslims and Christians in recent days has left scores dead. |
Lt Col Shekari Galadima told the BBC the city was "very calm" as the army was enforcing a 24-hour curfew. He insisted there would be no more riots. | Lt Col Shekari Galadima told the BBC the city was "very calm" as the army was enforcing a 24-hour curfew. He insisted there would be no more riots. |
But a BBC reporter in the region says the violence has now spread to Pankshin town, 100km (60 miles) from Jos. | But a BBC reporter in the region says the violence has now spread to Pankshin town, 100km (60 miles) from Jos. |
Religious officials said at least 265 people had died since Sunday. | |
Among the dead were said to be 65 Christians and 200 Muslims. | |
At least 265 people are believed to have died in Jos | |
Muhammad Tanko Shittu, a senior mosque official organising mass burials, gave a much higher death toll - telling Reuters news agency more than 350 Muslims had died. | |
He said the death toll had risen as workers retrieved bodies from areas outside the city of Jos on Wednesday. | |
The figures could not be independently verified. | |
Jos has been blighted by religious violence over the past decade with deadly riots in 2001 and 2008. | |
The city is in Nigeria's volatile Middle Belt - between the mainly Muslim north and the south where the majority is Christian or follow traditional religions. | |
Violence spreading | |
Col Galadima told the BBC's Network Africa programme that Jos city "has been brought under control tremendously". | Col Galadima told the BBC's Network Africa programme that Jos city "has been brought under control tremendously". |
Jos resident describes violence | |
"Because of the 24-hour curfew imposed by the government, movement has been restricted so you cannot have any riots or any demonstrations going on," he said. | "Because of the 24-hour curfew imposed by the government, movement has been restricted so you cannot have any riots or any demonstrations going on," he said. |
The Associated Press reported that soldiers with machine guns were patrolling in pick-up trucks and residents were stopping and raising their hands to show they were not a threat as the trucks passed. | |
Meanwhile, the BBC Hausa Service's Shehu Saulawa says the violence appears to have spread to the town of Pankshin. | |
On Wednesday morning, one resident of Pankshin told our reporter by telephone the fighting began at 2230 (2130 GMT) on Tuesday. | |
He said the unrest had continued into Wednesday morning but no soldiers could be seen on the streets. | |
Another family told the BBC they had fled the town to neighbouring Bauchi State to escape the violence. | |
But Plateau State spokesman Dan Manjang dismissed the accounts from Pankshin as "rumours". | |
'Little faith' | 'Little faith' |
The Red Cross, which was unable to get into Jos on Tuesday, said its workers had begun to treat the wounded. | |
JOS, PLATEAU STATE Deadly riots in 2001 and 2008City divided into Christian and Muslim areas Divisions accentuated by system of classifying people as indigenes and settlers Hausa-speaking Muslims living in Jos for decades are still classified as settlers Settlers find it difficult to stand for electionDivisions also exist along party lines: Christians mostly back the ruling PDP; Muslims generally supporting the opposition ANPP | |
Rights groups have expressed fears that people are running short of food because they are confined to their homes as part of the 24-hour curfew. | Rights groups have expressed fears that people are running short of food because they are confined to their homes as part of the 24-hour curfew. |
And at least 5,000 people have fled the violence and are using army barracks and public buildings as temporary accommodation. | |
The Jos-based League for Human Rights said people have little faith in the security forces to restore order. | The Jos-based League for Human Rights said people have little faith in the security forces to restore order. |
The group's Shamaki Gad told the BBC that no-one had been prosecuted for participating in previous religious and ethnic clashes. | The group's Shamaki Gad told the BBC that no-one had been prosecuted for participating in previous religious and ethnic clashes. |
Correspondents say such clashes in Nigeria are often blamed on sectarianism. | Correspondents say such clashes in Nigeria are often blamed on sectarianism. |
However, poverty and access to resources such as land often lie at the root of the violence. | However, poverty and access to resources such as land often lie at the root of the violence. |
It is unclear what the trigger was for the latest bout of violence, but there have been reports it started after football match. | |
Other reports suggested it began after an argument over the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the 2008 clashes. | |