The death of 55 people in clashes between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria last week was barely reported in the international media. The killings took place in the volatile town of Kasuwan Magani in northern Kaduna State. Violence erupted at a market last Thursday evening. It is not clear what happened next, but the following morning there were piles of bodies and several smouldering buildings. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the bloodshed.
Christian leaders have, in recent months, become ever more critical of Buhari’s handling of communal violence. They suspect that Buhari, a Muslim, is less than fully committed to guaranteeing the security of the country’s Christians. Cardinal John Onaiyekan has been quoted as saying that priests may soon have to carry guns and that, if the situation continues to deteriorate, the Christian community might even be forced to wage war.
