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Nigeria death toll much higher than previous claims
In a letter to the president of the Nigerian Senate, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says 3,000 Christians died in this month's Plateau State violence. Earlier estimates put the figure at about 1,000—a number that includes both Christians and Muslims.

"The group, citing 'information available' to it, alleged that 30 churches and over 200 houses belonging to Christians have been destroyed while over 90 Christian students were killed at the Bayero University [in] Kano and the Federal College of Education [in] Bichi," reports The Daily Champion, a Nigerian newspaper based in Lagos. "Another six Christian lecturers from the institutions were also allegedly killed."

And, sadly, the violence continues. Despite a declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau State, at least 25 (or 30) people have been killed in the last few days, especially in the remote town of Sabon Gida. The number may be more.

"Seven villages have been attacked, they killed 25 people," local CAN head Mangmwos Tangshak told the AFP news service. " I saw 25 dead bodies myself."

Another development in the story is that news agencies are now examining the secular and ethnic reasons for the conflict. Apparently the murders aren't just about Islam and Christianity.

"The attack on Sabon Gida and neighboring Christian communities is the latest atrocity in a three-year-old battle between rival religious and ethnic groups for control of Plateau State's fertile farmlands," says AFP. Likewise, the Associated Press headlines its story, "Nigeria to Crack Down on Ethnic Violence."

The reporters are apparently taking the cues from Chris Alli, a retired Nigerian army general who has been appointed to govern Plateau State during the state of emergency. The Associated Press reports that the violence pitted "predominantly Muslim herdsmen and traders against Christian farming groups in what Alli called 'a competition for scarce resources.' 'The problem is not a religious problem,' Alli insisted, saying persistent drought has fueled the battle over land."

More on the Nigeria riots:

• Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria chides emergency rule in Plateau | Group calls for sovereign confab (Vanguard, Nigeria)
  
  
• Also (and contradictory?): PFN seeks emergency rule in Kano | In a release made available to THISDAY, PFN hinged its call on the fact that the same scenario which prompted the declaration of state of emergency in Plateau occurred repeatedly in Kano (This Day, Nigeria)
  
  
• Christians, Muslims divided in Kaduna | The declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau State by the federal government has further polarised the people of Kaduna State along ethnic and religious lines (P.M. News, Nigeria)
  
  
• Ex-general promises democracy for Nigerians | The retired general assigned to stanch a cycle of violence in Nigeria pledged to fortify security and enable thousands of displaced people to return home (The New York Times)
  
  
• Soyinka slams Nigeria 'inaction' | Nigeria's Nobel prize-winning author Wole Soyinka has blamed President Olusegun Obasanjo for failing to ensure security in a recent spate of violence (BBC)
  
  

Religious freedom:

• Army rescues Kitgum bishop | The army on Tuesday night rescued the Anglican Bishop of Kitgum Diocese, Benjamin Ojwang, from Lords Resistance Army rebels who had abducted him from his house in Mican area in Kitgum town council (New Vision, Kampala, Uganda)
  
  
• Earlier: LRA abduct Kitgum bishop (The Monitor, Kampala, Uganda)
  
  
• Four Christians jailed in Vietnam | Authorities in Vietnam say four ethnic Hmong Christians have been jailed for "disturbing public order" (Radio Australia)
  
  

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May (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48