Kaduna in crisis: Rioters resist curfew, killing continues

Even with the heavy deployment of security men and the imposition of a 24 hour curfew in Kaduna State, heavy fighting and killing still continued on Wednesday as the Muslim minority tried to fight the Christians back. It was reported that the crisis continues to get worse even as Pope Benedict XVI has appealed to those responsible for the violence to stop the shedding of innocent blood.

As the drum of war echoes in Kaduna State, many residents who are now stranded as a result of the curfew imposed in the state have called on the government to speedily hasten up in its effort to bring the continuous unrest to an end as they are now running out food , medicine and even water. Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on phone had stated that the situation is really pathetic and it’s becoming unbearable for them.

Meanwhile,  the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Olusheyin Petinrin and the Acting Inspector General of Police, M D Abubakar  had shown worries and concern over the continuous wave of violence and killings in  a closed-door meeting  held yesterday with Governor Patrick Yakowa on the possible way to save the situation .

It was reported that violence broke out in Bardarawa, north of Kaduna town  yesterday as Muslim and Christian youth clashed arount 4pm. It was reported that houses and property on non Muslims were razed, while report also had it that the Christians retaliated almost immediately.

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict had called on both Christians and Muslims to sheathe their swords and stop killing innocent Nigerians. The pope in his reaction, yesterday, called for immediate end to what he called “terrorist attacks”against Christians in Nigeria.

The pope had affirmed thus, “I am following with deep concern the news from Nigeria, where terrorist attacks are continuing especially against Christians. I appeal to those responsible for the violence to immediately stop the spilling of the blood of many innocent people.”

He pleaded with all groups in Nigeria to shun “the path of vendetta”and work towards building a peaceful society where people were free to practise their religion.

It has been reported that more dead bodies have been deposited in different hospitals in the state as  violence persists.

A source had revealed to our correspondent that a car conveying four traders on a business trip to jos was burnt with the four occupant still in the car dead.

“Their bodies are still inside the burnt car”, confirmed the source.

It was also revealed that arms and ammunitions were recovered from Mosques on Tuesday.

According to a source “When the youths stormed the Holy Family Catholic Church last Tuesday evening, we knew that they would not have the guts if they did not have something to fall back to. We organised ourselves and chased them with sticks and stones. Soon the loudspeaker in the mosque started calling for prayers at that odd time. The man calling for the prayers even said that they should come ready to fight. It was at this point that we informed the soldiers and they came into the mosque and arrested three persons with arms and ammunition”, he said.

“We have been told reliably that they have brought in their fighters. We have not slept since last Monday evening, keeping watch over them”, he added.