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| Nigeria riots: 'Our homes were razed' | Nigeria riots: 'Our homes were razed' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Caroline Duffield BBC News, Jos Mohamed Kabir Mohamed says friends attacked his village | |
| Awalu Mohamed was one of the first to arrive in the mining village of Kuru Karama to discover burned human remains and corpses thrown into communal wells and sewage pits. | Awalu Mohamed was one of the first to arrive in the mining village of Kuru Karama to discover burned human remains and corpses thrown into communal wells and sewage pits. |
| "There are so many, many corpses," says Mr Mohamed, of the Jamatu Nasril Islam aid group. | "There are so many, many corpses," says Mr Mohamed, of the Jamatu Nasril Islam aid group. |
| He described how 62 corpses were pulled from the wells on the first day, but aid workers had no equipment to reach those further down. | He described how 62 corpses were pulled from the wells on the first day, but aid workers had no equipment to reach those further down. |
| "We went to one family and found the entire family there, 20-something of them, including the small, small kids. All of them burned to ashes," he says. | "We went to one family and found the entire family there, 20-something of them, including the small, small kids. All of them burned to ashes," he says. |
| He covers his eyes. | He covers his eyes. |
| He - and other aid workers - realised they were overwhelmed. | He - and other aid workers - realised they were overwhelmed. |
| Mr Mohamed described how they removed the family's remains, piece by piece. | Mr Mohamed described how they removed the family's remains, piece by piece. |
| They added them to the other corpses inside the wells. These wells are now being sand-filled, to become mass graves. | They added them to the other corpses inside the wells. These wells are now being sand-filled, to become mass graves. |
| Around the village, more bodies are being found every day. | Around the village, more bodies are being found every day. |
| Those who tried to run from the gangs were hunted and cut down with machetes and guns around the settlement. | Those who tried to run from the gangs were hunted and cut down with machetes and guns around the settlement. |
| Many people are still living in temporary shelters in and around Jos | |
| "We could hear the noise. They were singing and chanting, they destroyed everything," says 20-year-old Zainab Sanusi. | "We could hear the noise. They were singing and chanting, they destroyed everything," says 20-year-old Zainab Sanusi. |
| "They burned our house. We are left with nothing now, nothing." | "They burned our house. We are left with nothing now, nothing." |
| She fled her home, on the edge of Jos, to join 2,000 other people now eating, washing and sleeping together in cramped classrooms at a local primary school. | She fled her home, on the edge of Jos, to join 2,000 other people now eating, washing and sleeping together in cramped classrooms at a local primary school. |
| 'Homes razed' | 'Homes razed' |
| Most of the people I met were Hausa-speaking Muslims but Christian groups say they were also attacked by mobs. Although they have not given any details of how many members of their community were killed. | Most of the people I met were Hausa-speaking Muslims but Christian groups say they were also attacked by mobs. Although they have not given any details of how many members of their community were killed. |
| Across the region, many thousands are displaced. Everyone has a story to tell. | Across the region, many thousands are displaced. Everyone has a story to tell. |
| "Suddenly, a team of security personnel entered our village," says Mohamed Kabir Mohamed, a miner from Anglo Jos village. | "Suddenly, a team of security personnel entered our village," says Mohamed Kabir Mohamed, a miner from Anglo Jos village. |
| "They told us to evacuate. They were chasing us out, allowing people in to burn our houses. | "They told us to evacuate. They were chasing us out, allowing people in to burn our houses. |
| Our diversity is meant to create harmony, not disharmony Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama | Our diversity is meant to create harmony, not disharmony Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama |
| "Later we realised those police and military men were fake, they were not wearing the proper uniform, the normal military boots. | "Later we realised those police and military men were fake, they were not wearing the proper uniform, the normal military boots. |
| "When we talked, they opened fire against us. As we left, our enemies were busy razing our homes." | "When we talked, they opened fire against us. As we left, our enemies were busy razing our homes." |
| He and his friends saw very clearly who attacked the village. | He and his friends saw very clearly who attacked the village. |
| ''That is the worst part,'' he says. | ''That is the worst part,'' he says. |
| ''Of those that came, there were known and unknown faces. The worst part is that those who were known, were our friends.'' | ''Of those that came, there were known and unknown faces. The worst part is that those who were known, were our friends.'' |
| The BBC drove through burned out suburbs, villages, and tiny settlements. | The BBC drove through burned out suburbs, villages, and tiny settlements. |
| The Bukuru Markets area - once a roaring hive of shops - is now a blackened bonfire under a blue sky. | The Bukuru Markets area - once a roaring hive of shops - is now a blackened bonfire under a blue sky. |
| At least 1,000 businesses here were burned. | At least 1,000 businesses here were burned. |
| It was after midnight and people were sleeping when a gang attacked, starting an inferno. | It was after midnight and people were sleeping when a gang attacked, starting an inferno. |
| Many people were too disoriented to talk - or too angry to make sense. | Many people were too disoriented to talk - or too angry to make sense. |
| The nearby mosque say they received 31 corpses. | The nearby mosque say they received 31 corpses. |
| The number is hard to believe. It seems too low. | The number is hard to believe. It seems too low. |
| Jos sits on a tense dividing line between Nigeria's mostly Hausa-speaking Muslim north, and the south where the majority is Christian or practise traditional religions. | Jos sits on a tense dividing line between Nigeria's mostly Hausa-speaking Muslim north, and the south where the majority is Christian or practise traditional religions. |
| The town is predominantly Christian, with Hausa Muslims in the minority. | The town is predominantly Christian, with Hausa Muslims in the minority. |
| But people here respect faith. Everyone insists this violence is not about religion. | But people here respect faith. Everyone insists this violence is not about religion. |
| It is about politics, they say. | It is about politics, they say. |
| Jos has an ugly history of violence at election times. | Jos has an ugly history of violence at election times. |
| Local politicians are accused of orchestrating violence to rig elections and intimidate their rivals. | Local politicians are accused of orchestrating violence to rig elections and intimidate their rivals. |
| This time, there are accusations the violence is an organised campaign to drive Hausa Muslims out of the state. | This time, there are accusations the violence is an organised campaign to drive Hausa Muslims out of the state. |
| The state government denies that. It says it has given 30 million naira ($200,000; £123,000) to help the victims of the violence. | The state government denies that. It says it has given 30 million naira ($200,000; £123,000) to help the victims of the violence. |
| 'Harmony in diversity' | 'Harmony in diversity' |
| "I want the government to intervene on this," says Chibuzou Aghande, a Christian attending an emotional church service in Nassarawa, a few hundreds yards from where the first troubles started. | |
| The rebuilding of a house in Jos was said to be the spark for the violence | The rebuilding of a house in Jos was said to be the spark for the violence |
| "Because they know the roots of this thing. Because it is well planned, and they were organised for it. I want the federal government to do something and to bring to book those causing this crisis." | "Because they know the roots of this thing. Because it is well planned, and they were organised for it. I want the federal government to do something and to bring to book those causing this crisis." |
| Worshippers spilled outside the church and hundreds packed the pews inside. Some wept while others murmured responses to a charged sermon. | Worshippers spilled outside the church and hundreds packed the pews inside. Some wept while others murmured responses to a charged sermon. |
| "Our diversity is meant to create harmony, not disharmony," Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama told them. | "Our diversity is meant to create harmony, not disharmony," Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama told them. |
| "Your gifts as a Christian should be put to good use so the Muslim can benefit. Your gifts as a Muslim should be put to good use so the Christian can benefit. | "Your gifts as a Christian should be put to good use so the Muslim can benefit. Your gifts as a Muslim should be put to good use so the Christian can benefit. |
| "Imagine the values in the Koran. Imagine the values in the Bible. If we bring all of these together, imagine the fantastic world we will have." | "Imagine the values in the Koran. Imagine the values in the Bible. If we bring all of these together, imagine the fantastic world we will have." |