Calm comes to Nigeria as hospitals struggle to cope (Roundup)

Dec 1, 2008, 13:48 GMT

Nairobi/Abuja - Calm returned to the Nigeria on Monday following weekend clashes between Christians and Muslims in the city of Jos, the capital of central Plateau State, as hospitals were failing to cope with the number of casualties reports.

Doctors were not able to keep up with hundreds of victims of gunshots and stab wounds, while severe shortages of medicines and dressing materials were also causing problems, a spokesman of the aid organization Oxfam told the British Broadcasting Corporation.

At least 200 people were reported killed in the clashes that erupted over the weekend after local elections in the state. A local cleric earlier estimated the number of fatalities at more than 300.

The Nigerian Red Cross Sunday also estimated that 10,000 people had fled the violence in Plateau state, which is located between the predominantly Islamic North and the Christian South of the country.

Hundreds of people had sought refuge in police stations and military barracks, and have refused to return to their homes despite the lull in violence.

A federal spokesman blamed external forces for prompting the unrest. Some of those arrested in the clashes were from Chad and Congo, he told the BBC. He accused the foreign forces of wanting to destabilize Nigeria.

Jos has a history of sectarian violence between indigenous Christians and Muslim settlers. More than 1,000 people were killed in clashes seven years ago, and mosques, churches and other properties had been razed to the ground in the violence.

Gun battles between security agents and the protesters continued as the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission announced Saturday that the ruling People's Democratic Party won in 16 of the 17 council areas.