Muslim Mob Invades Christian
Village in Western Nigeria
More Than 100 Dead in
Retaliation Attack
by Obed Minchakpu
Yola, Nigeria, March 14 (Compass) -- More than 100 persons died
when a
Muslim mob attacked a Christian community in western Nigeria s
Adamawa
state apparently in retaliation for the deaths of 16 Muslims
three months ago.
The February 28 attack on the Christian community of Yugur in
Dumne village
in the Song local government area is the latest clash in the
"age-long"
dispute between Muslims and Christians in the region.
Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, president of the Nigerian Red Cross
Society, told
Compass the death toll now stands at 110, with 500 injured; 50
are in
critical condition. He added that 130 houses and some churches
were razed,
and 21,000 persons have been displaced. An unknown number of
Christians are
still missing.
Shortly after the attack began, Nigerian army and police
personnel were
sent to regain control over the area, but they were also attacked
by the
Muslim mob. Two soldiers and six policemen died.
Peter Mamman, a Christian victim of the attack, said the Muslims
overwhelmed the soldiers and the policemen. "The well-armed
Muslim militants
possessed magical powers which they used to bewitch them,"
Mamman said.
In December last year, a religious conflict engulfed Dumne
village that
also pitted Muslims against Christians. During that clash, 16
Muslims and
two Christians were killed. The recent attack by Muslims on the
Christian
community is seen as an attempt by Muslims to retaliate for the
16 deaths.
Eyewitnesses said houses and churches in the village were burned
to the
ground by the invading mob. They blamed the government for not
having
enough policemen to protect the village.
Joshua Atiku, special advisor to the governor of Adamawa state,
expressed
sympathy with the victims of the attacks and said steps were
being taken to
curtail further attacks.
Meanwhile, police officials in the state have reported the
arrests of 13
Muslim extremists from the Republic of Chad. The extremists are
being
accused of assisting in the attack on Christians in Dumne.
"Our men engaged the Muslim militants in a gun battle in
which the leader of
the group, a woman on horseback, was killed while 13 of them were
arrested,"
State Police Commissioner Muhammed Shu aibu told journalists in
Yola on
March 4.
Shu aibu said 50 sets of bows and arrows, three guns and other
weapons were
recovered from the extremists. He added that they were dressed in
military
uniforms.
Mr. Femi Oyeleye, police public relations officer for the Adamawa
State
Command, confirmed the arrests, saying, "Some foreigners,
suspected to be
Chadian mercenaries, are in the police net facing serious
interrogation."