NIGERIA: Residents of Kano count their loses after deadly post-election riots

Record ID: 234870

  • Title: NIGERIA: Residents of Kano count their loses after deadly post-election riots
  • Date: 20th April 2011
  • Summary: KANO, NIGERIA (APRIL 19, 2011) (REUTERS) PEOPLE IN STREETS PEOPLE INSPECTING THEIR WRECKED PROPERTY VARIOUS OF RUINED HOUSES CHURCH BUILDING STILL SMOULDERING BURNT VEHICLES VARIOUS OF SALVAGED BELONGINGS OUTSIDE BURNT BUILDING / MAN STANDING AMID POSSESSIONS BURNT HOUSE PEOPLE INSPECTING THEIR DESTROYED HOMES (SOUNDBITE) (Pidgin English) USMAN ADAMU, KANO RESIDENT SAYING: "They came shouting carrying sticks and iron bars, everybody including myself had to escape, they told us we are not Nigerians, we should go back to our states and rest." VARIOUS BURNT VEHICLES BURNT DOWN CHURCH VARIOUS OF DAMAGED EMIR'S PALACE (INTERIOR)
  • Embargoed: 5th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAG3TNOMVWOJ6CLGC17NMQ81FN
  • Story Text: Resident of Nigeria's second largest city Kano returned to their destroyed homes on Tuesday (April 19) following post-election riots that swept the north of the country.
    At least 50 people were killed in major cities alone, according to a tally from witnesses and rescue workers, but the overall death toll is believed to be much higher.
    Hundreds have been injured and thousands displaced by violence across the mostly-Muslim north after President Goodluck Jonathan won weekend elections. His rival, northerner and ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, says the vote was rigged.
    Churches, mosques, homes and shops were set ablaze on Monday as Buhari's supporters, some chanting his name, went on the rampage.
    Kano resident, Usman Adamu, described how he narrowly escaped death during the riots at the hands of youths, some as young as ten.
    "They came shouting carrying sticks and iron bars, everybody including myself had to escape, they told us we are not Nigerians, we should go back to our states and rest," Adamu said.
    Although observers called the Saturday poll the fairest in decades in Africa's most populous nation, Buhari's supporters accused the ruling party of rigging and rejected the results.
    The results showed how polarised the country of 150 million is, with Buhari, 68, sweeping the north and Jonathan, 53, winning the largely Christian south.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register