KADUNA/ABUJA: At least 80 people have been killed since Monday in clashes in northern Nigeria triggered by militants waging an insurgency against the government, figures from police and the Red Cross showed yesterday. The violence — some of which was sparked by church bombings over the last three Sundays — has heightened sectarian tensions in Africa’s most populous country, which is evenly split between Christians and Muslims.
Boko Haram insurgents waged gun battles with security forces in the remote northeastern city of Damaturu, near the radical sect’s heartland, throughout Tuesday, police chief for the surrounding Yobe state Patrick Egbuniwe said. He said 40 people were killed, 34 insurgents and six security personnel.
In separate clashes between Muslim and Christian residents of the northern city of Kaduna on Tuesday, at least 40 people were killed and 62 wounded, according to local Red Cross official Awwal Sani. His organization was helping collect bodies and treat the wounded.
The riots came two days after Christian youths went on the rampage, killing 52 people in the city.
Residents said the violence in both cities, hundreds of kilometers (miles) apart, had died down yesterday.
“Damaturu is calm this morning. Four policemen are receiving treatment for gun shot (wounds),” police chief Egbuniwe said.
“We made seven arrests and they are with the criminal investigation department.” Pope Benedict repeated his concerns about the sectarian killings, using his weekly general audience yesterday to appeal for an immediate end to “terrorist attacks” against Christians and urging all sides to avoid reprisals.
n FROM: Reuters
Violence in northern Nigeria kills 80
