Death toll in Maiduguri crisis now 16 - Curfew imposed
DEATH toll in Maiduguri religious riot which
broke out on Saturday has risen to 16. Among those killed
was a Catholic priest, Mike Gajere, who was burnt to ashes
at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Maiduguri.
Also, during the incident, no fewer than 15
churches were razed while shops, hotels, houses and several
cars belonging to Christians were destroyed by the Muslim
fanatics who were seen in large numbers at different locations
of the town, shouting war songs and carrying dangerous weapons.
Nigerian Tribune investigations further revealed
that many of the people killed were burnt beyond recognition.
The killings, according to an eyewitness, started at the
Ramat Square, Maiduguri, where a public lecture on the personality
of the Prophet Mohammed, which was organised by Muslim Forum,
the umbrella body of all Islamic organisations, was being
held.
According to the eyewitness, as the public
lecture which had in attendance prominent Islamic scholars
was going on, a pick pocket was said to have been caught
and was taken to the police station.
On the way to the police station, a group
of people followed the policemen who were taking the suspected
thief to the station, insisting that he (pick pocket) must
be lynched.
In the ensuing struggle, one of the policemen
was said to have thrown a tear gas canister at them. The
mob then went wild and started damaging things. The riots
in Nigeria are the first violent protests in the country
over the cartoons.
Also, reports from the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) said the protest had begun peacefully
in Maiduguri, and it was not clear what started the violence.
The city’s residents described demonstrators running
wild after police tried to disperse the protest with tear
gas.
Crowds of protesters carried machetes, sticks
and iron rods through the city centre, the Associated Press
news agency reported. One group threw a tyre around one
man, poured petrol on him and set him ablaze, it said.
Christian leader, Joseph Hayab, told Reuters
agency that most of those who died had been Christians.
“The Muslim group came out to protest and the security
forces tried to ensure it was peaceful, but there were some
hoodlums in the crowd and somehow, the security forces shot
one or two of them,” said Mr Hayab.
“They went on the rampage, burning shops
and churches of the Christians. The protesters killed the
others. Some were even killed in the churches.” Soldiers
have been deployed and a curfew imposed. Around 115 people
were arrested in Maiduguri and 105 in Katsina.
Borno State governor, Modu Sheriff, said the
state “was shocked and disgusted” by “the
civil disturbance” in Maiduguri.
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