AFRICA/NIGERIA - Calm charged with tension in Kano northern Nigeria after recent clashes. Fides sources say hundreds were killed in the violence

Kano (Fides Service)- “The situation is still tense although at the moment there is no fighting and the city lives in relative calm” say local Church sources in Kano, northern Nigeria, where Muslim extremists recently attacked Christians (see Fides 12 May 2004). “The police appears to have public order in hand. There were small skirmishes last night, but nothing very serious”.
According to Fides sources at least two Catholic churches were torched including the cathedral and compound and churches of other Christian confessions. Many homes and shops belonging to Christians were sacked and looted. Our sources say that hundreds of people were killed. But Nigerian authorities say 25 persons were killed.
The clashes in Kano follow violence which exploded earlier this month in Plateau state central Nigeria where at least 200 were killed in clashes between Muslim Fulani herdsmen and Christ Tarok farmers (see Fides 6 and 11 May 2004). Christian extremists are said to have massacred many Muslim herdsmen.
In this climate of violence radical Muslims in Kano warned they would take justice in their own hands if the government did not do everything possible to identify and punish those responsible for the crimes in Plateau state. With regard to this new outbreak of violence one Christian leader in Kano said if the situation continues, Christians will move elsewhere to safer areas rather than live in fear. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/5/2004, righe 24 parole 295)