NIGERIA: At least 12,000 still displaced after recent deadly riots in country's tense north

Record ID: 234627

  • Title: NIGERIA: At least 12,000 still displaced after recent deadly riots in country's tense north
  • Date: 22nd April 2011
  • Summary: MOTHER WITH NEWBORN AT THE CAMP
  • Embargoed: 7th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4MCR3XMSSY9L9JP6JOT4ZFT11
  • Story Text: Thousands remain displaced after Monday's (April 18) deadly riots in northern Nigeria which killed at least 120 people and destroyed property worth millions of Nigerian naira.
    Angry youths in the north of the country launched violent protests after Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was declared winner of a weekend election, defeating former military ruler and northern Muslim Muhammadu Buhari.
    Churches, mosques and homes were set ablaze in the worst unrest for years as Buhari supporters rejected the outcome.
    Ikena Onyema, who survived the attacks in Kano, has been camped at a military base since Monday. Onyema said she fled with her children from attackers as they set fire to her house. She lamented a lack of assistance from government while in the camp.
    "We are here now, we don't use or see food to eat, we are hungry, our children are hungry. Let them come and and help us, if they don't want us here, transport should be provided to take us back to our homes where we originally came from," she said.
    The International Committee of the Red Cross said at least 12,000 people had been displaced in Kano alone.
    Jonathan has stepped up security, and has authorised them to use "justifiable force" to stop the violence and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
    "I have ordered the deployment of security personnel to troubled parts of the country. I have also directed the reinforcement of security in all parts of the country. I have authorised the security services to deal with all acts of violence against our fellow citizens decisively," he said.
    Despite the security deployments, isolated acts of violence have continued.
    Houses were burned on the outskirts of Kano late on Wednesday (April 20) and there were reports of more killings in some southern parts of Kaduna state.
    Africa's most populous nation is due to hold governorship and state assembly votes in most of its 36 states next Tuesday (April 26), but there are fears many voters will not turn out after the unrest.
    The head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, said on Thursday (April 21) he would delay the governorship election by two days in the northern states of Kaduna and Bauchi, two of the worst hit by violence, to give security staff more time to create a stable voting environment.
    "The assessment has shown that there is a marked improvement in security in some of the states (troubled states) for the elections to hold, however, in other states, specifically in Kaduna and the Bauchi states, the security situation remains a source of concern, consequently, the commission is constrained to postponed the April 26 elections in the two states in accordance with Section 26, 2010 Electoral Act Amendment," he said.
    The state elections had already been expected to be volatile but the violence this week has raised the stakes even further.
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