Nigerian president declares state of emergency
declared a state of emergency in 4 states on Saturday after a series of
bomb attacks in the country.
President Goodluck Jonathan imposed the emergency on states where
radical Islamist group Boko Haram staged bombings on Christmas Day, or
where the group has a stronghold.
Local
media said that 52 people, including women and children, were killed in
the resurgence of the Ezza/Ezillo inter-communal strife in Ebonyi that
had reared its head in 2008 and was contained in 2010.
More than 40 people were killed by the attacks. One assault at a church in the capital Abuja killed many worshippers who came to Christmas Mass.Boko Haram claimed responsibility. Christians and Muslims have a longstanding conflict in Nigeria. The re-election of the Christian President Jonathan in April intensified frustration among some Muslims. Jonathan also ordered borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger in the northeast closed.He said the insurgents come and go across the borders to elude Nigerian authorities. Boko Haram says it is also responsible for the bombing of a building housing a UN office in August that killed more than 20 people and a series of bombings in November which resulted in more than 100 deaths.
A
spokesman for Ebonyi state government said the clashes erupted between
the Ezza and Ezillo people of Ishielu district, the two groups that are
often in conflict, on Saturday.
More than 40 people were killed by the attacks. One assault at a church in the capital Abuja killed many worshippers who came to Christmas Mass.Boko Haram claimed responsibility. Christians and Muslims have a longstanding conflict in Nigeria. The re-election of the Christian President Jonathan in April intensified frustration among some Muslims. Jonathan also ordered borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger in the northeast closed.He said the insurgents come and go across the borders to elude Nigerian authorities. Boko Haram says it is also responsible for the bombing of a building housing a UN office in August that killed more than 20 people and a series of bombings in November which resulted in more than 100 deaths.
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