Nigerian Muslims Kill Christians in Reprisal Attacks

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

KANO, Nigeria — Angry young Muslim men attacked "nonbelievers" with machetes Tuesday, while others burned cars, stores and apartments in apparent revenge for last week's killings of hundreds of Muslims by a Christian group.

 

Three corpses — one charred and another badly mutilated — lay in the streets; it was unclear who killed them. There were unconfirmed reports of several others killed by young men who barricaded streets with burning tires and garbage.

The violence came hours after thousands of Muslim protesters — some carrying daggers, sickles and clubs — marched from the main mosque in the northern city of Kano (search), traditionally a hotbed of religious tensions.

Amina Usman, a 19-year-old university student, recounted seeing two mutilated bodies next to a makeshift checkpoint where young Muslim Hausa (search)-speaking men armed with sticks, knives and clubs were searching cars for Christians and animists and asking passengers to recite Muslim prayers.

"It was hell," said Mohammed Aliyu, another university student, who said he saw five bodies in another part of Kano, Nigeria's largest Muslim city, one with a burning tire around its neck.

Businesses bolted their doors and children were sent home early from school.

Demonstrators were protesting attacks on Hausa-speaking Muslims by fighters from the Tarok (search)-speaking tribe in the central Nigerian town of Yelwa.

A Red Cross official has said between 500 and 600 people died in the Yelwa attacks, while the Nigerian government's emergency response agency estimates less than half that number.

In the capital, Abuja, President Olusegun Obasanjo (search) met with a delegation of Muslim leaders calling for the capture of the Yelwa attackers.

Obasanjo asked the clerics to "tell your followers to be patient and give me time to resolve the matter."

"It's time now to put a permanent stop to this whole thing," Obasanjo said as reporters looked on. "The situation in Yelwa is condemnable and I condemn it in very strong terms."

In Kano, soldiers and police in armored vehicles were deployed in an attempt to quell what began as an angry demonstration but quickly turned into a riot.

An Associated Press reporter saw youths at a makeshift checkpoint of burning tires strike three young women with machetes after accusing them of being "nonbelievers" for wearing Western-style skirts and blouses.

The women escaped with bleeding head wounds after several motorcycle taxi drivers intervened.

"Everywhere, people have taken the laws into their own hands. We are trying to control the situation," said police commissioner Abdul Damini Daudu.

Sule Ya'u Sule, a state government spokesman, announced a dusk to dawn curfew and blamed the day's rioting on "disgruntled elements" he did not identify. He stressed the earlier march had been peaceful.

Muslim leaders in Kano earlier linked the Yelwa attacks to the U.S.-led war against terror.

"This violence is a calculated global Western war against Muslims, just like in Afghanistan and Iraq," Umar Ibrahim Kabo, the most senior Muslim cleric in Kano, told protesters, some of whom burned U.S. and Israeli flags. "Muslims are in grief."

Kabo issued a seven-day ultimatum to Obasanjo to apprehend the Yelwa killers "or be blamed for whatever happens" afterward.

Kano Governor Ibrahim Shekarau told protests that "killings of Muslims throughout the world ... will only embolden us."

Muslims should be "ready to lay down our lives," Shekarau said, while urging protesters not to attack "innocent people."

The Yelwa attacks follow a deadly succession of communal violence. In February, Muslim militants were blamed for the slaughter of almost 50 people there — many of them Christians who took refuge in a church.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (search) accused Nigeria's government Tuesday of failing to take steps to stop the "endless cycle of revenge."

Some 10,000 have died in religious, ethnic and community-related violence in Africa's most populous nation since Obasanjo was first elected in 1999, ending 15 years of military rule.

ARM THE CHRISTIANS! It's the only answer.
This stuff needs more attention fromt he American press.

It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed.

Quoted: We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed.

But she saw his pee pee. Oh, the humanity.

Quoted: It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed.

Don't worry about this one, the Christians gave better than they got here last week.  They were on a muslim murdering rampage.  This is only payback.

You know  what's funny(not "haha" but "strange") about all of this. Once you're dead no one can tell what religion you were. A dead muslim and a dead Christian look the same, like a dead person. I'm glad that I'm a Pagan.

I'm guessing an all out worldwide religious war by 2007.

Arm them all with various melee weapons, put them in an arena, and pipe through to dish users as a pay-per-view event. I'll get the dish to see that. Once there is one left standing, send in the dogs with bees in their mouth
and when they bark, they shoot bees at you... they're all worthless members of the global society and should be dealt with accordingly and for our personal entertainment.

Quoted: Quoted: It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed. Don't worry about this one, the Christians gave better than they got here last week.  They were on a muslim murdering rampage.  This is only payback.

Isn't that what they said about Nick Berg?

Quoted: You know  what's funny(not "haha" but "strange") about all of this. Once you're dead no one can tell what religion you were. A dead muslim and a dead Christian look the same, like a dead person. I'm glad that I'm a Pagan.

They do look the same dead but the big difference would be where they go immediately after dying!

The non believers would be in  Hell and the believers in Jesus Christ would be in Heaven.

I for one am glad to be going to the latter.

BigDozer66

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed. Don't worry about this one, the Christians gave better than they got here last week.  They were on a muslim murdering rampage.  This is only payback. Isn't that what they said about Nick Berg?

No you misunderstood, In Nigeria, it is a national sport for the Christians to hack a few hundred muslims to death one week, then the following week, for the Muslims to return the favor.  

My view on that matter, is that it winnows the humans down a bit and provides more room for the animals in Africa.

Quoted: Quoted: It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed. Don't worry about this one, the Christians gave better than they got here last week.  They were on a muslim murdering rampage.  This is only payback.

Add this to the mix.  Government sponsored eradication of Churches and Shari'a law.  The bigger picture.

Governor Ahmed Sani of Zamfara State, has ordered the demolition of all churches in the state, as he launched the second phase of his Sharia project yesterday.

 

Speaking at the launch in Gusau, the state capital, Governor Sani disclosed that time was ripe for full implementation of the programme as enshrined in the Holy Quran.

He added that his government would soon embark on demolition of all places of worship of unbelievers in the state, in line with Islamic injunction to fight them wherever they are found.

The governor also disclosed that a law to compel employers of labor in the state to give their employees "prayer breaks" five times daily would soon be enacted by the state House of Assembly.

The governor's stance on the demolition of all non-Islamic worship centres, however, runs contrary to the provisions of the country's constitution, which states in Chapter 4, Section 38(1) that "every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

Commenting on Governor Sani's decision, a lawyer and Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Barrister Ademorin Kuye, described the move as unconstitutional.

"The governor has no constitutional power to demolish churches in his state. The constitution guarantees the right of worship of every Nigerian. Nigeria is a secular state and a serving governor should not be seen as promoting one religion over the other ," Barrister Kuye declared.

He warned the Zamfara governor not to embark on destruction of churches, as it would have grave repercussion in other parts of the country.

It would be recalled that Governor Sani introduced the Sharia Legal Code in the state in the year 2000, despite opposition from the federal government and religious groups.

The implementation of the system led to the amputation of the wrist of a cow thief, Malam Jangedi. (FLF comment: see above picture. If that chap steals again, off with his other hand, then let's see if he can steal.)

Governor Sani also made the retention of a long beard a condition for securing juicy contracts from the state government.
 

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It made Fox News - I wouldnt be surprised in the least if other networks sweep this under the rug. Muslims butchering innocent women and children is, after all, socially acceptable. We meerely mock a Muslim and charges are pressed. Don't worry about this one, the Christians gave better than they got here last week.  They were on a muslim murdering rampage.  This is only payback. Add this to the mix.  Government sponsored eradication of Churches and Shari'a law.  The bigger picture. Governor Ahmed Sani of Zamfara State, has ordered the demolition of all churches in the state, as he launched the second phase of his Sharia project yesterday.   Speaking at the launch in Gusau, the state capital, Governor Sani disclosed that time was ripe for full implementation of the programme as enshrined in the Holy Quran. He added that his government would soon embark on demolition of all places of worship of unbelievers in the state, in line with Islamic injunction to fight them wherever they are found. The governor also disclosed that a law to compel employers of labor in the state to give their employees "prayer breaks" five times daily would soon be enacted by the state House of Assembly. The governor's stance on the demolition of all non-Islamic worship centres, however, runs contrary to the provisions of the country's constitution, which states in Chapter 4, Section 38(1) that "every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Commenting on Governor Sani's decision, a lawyer and Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Barrister Ademorin Kuye, described the move as unconstitutional. "The governor has no constitutional power to demolish churches in his state. The constitution guarantees the right of worship of every Nigerian. Nigeria is a secular state and a serving governor should not be seen as promoting one religion over the other ," Barrister Kuye declared. He warned the Zamfara governor not to embark on destruction of churches, as it would have grave repercussion in other parts of the country. It would be recalled that Governor Sani introduced the Sharia Legal Code in the state in the year 2000, despite opposition from the federal government and religious groups. The implementation of the system led to the amputation of the wrist of a cow thief, Malam Jangedi. (FLF comment: see above picture. If that chap steals again, off with his other hand, then let's see if he can steal.) Governor Sani also made the retention of a long beard a condition for securing juicy contracts from the state government.

Ain't religion cool?

Funny how we don't see governments trying to eradicate Islam in the name of Christianity. Maybe because Christianity is not based in violence.  With the exception of the Crusades in the middle ages ( which looking back was probably a GOOD idea) when have you EVER seen Christians mandating that people be born again or die. You don't. But Islam is based in the principle that all "non-believers" must be killed. And I wouldn't be surprised if you see this spiral into a world war of sorts. Islam has no compromise. Its us vs. them. And you don't need be a Christian. If you are non-muslim, you are an infidel in their mind. And what do they do with infidels?.......Watch the news.

I'm giving up on ANY religion that comes from the mid-east. I'm half Irish so I guess I'll become a Druid or Pagan or whatever but I'm fed up with all this "killing for your religion" crap.

Quoted: I'm giving up on ANY religion that comes from the mid-east. I'm half Irish so I guess I'll become a Druid or Pagan or whatever but I'm fed up with all this "killing for your religion" crap.

Paganism works for everyone.

Give it a go, you'll never look back.

Quoted: I'm fed up with all this "killing for your religion" crap.

I'll second that!