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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Nigerian Clashes over Billiards Dispute Displace 4,000 |
| 2011-01-29 |
| [An Nahar] Aid workers sought to help some 4,000 displaced people in Nigeria Friday after a row over billiards led to festivities between Christians and Mohammedans that left four people dead and buildings burned. Police have also declared a night-time curfew in the central Nigerian district of Tafawa Balewa following the festivities that began on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning. The rioting killed at least four people and left 50 houses and five mosques burnt, police have said. "We now have about 4,000 displaced people, mostly women and kiddies that we've been able to camp in primary schools in two neighboring towns," said Adamu Abubakar, head of the Red Thingy in Bauchi state, where Tafawa Balewa is located. "The displaced are in dire need of food, clothing and blankets because they couldn't come out of Tafawa Balewa with any." Most of the displaced were in Bununu while the others were in Kwaltukurwa. Police commissioner Abdulkadir Mohammed Indabawa said the curfew had been put in place to maintain calm. Eighteen people had been jugged and more were being sought, he said. The dispute began Wednesday night after a disagreement over money between a Mohammedan player and the Christian owner of the billiards table, the commissioner has said. It was settled through mediation by elders in the area, but the table was later burnt. Christian youths blamed Mohammedans for burning the table, setting off the festivities. Tafawa Balewa is located near the border with Plateau state along the so-called middle belt region between Nigeria's mainly Mohammedan north and predominately Christian south. The region has been hit by waves of violence in recent years that have left scores of people dead. Human Rights Watch issued a statement Thursday saying more than 200 people have been killed in Plateau state since Christmas Eve, when dozens died in a string of bombings and resulting festivities in Jos, the state capital. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #5 Beavis, 50 homes burned, more than that emptied as people fled. |
| Posted by: lotp 2011-01-29 20:00 |
| #4 you missed the |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-01-29 19:16 |
| #3 4000 displaced from 50 homes? |
| Posted by: Beavis 2011-01-29 18:54 |
| #2 Sounds like some Muzzie scratched on the eight ball... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-01-29 18:15 |
| #1 Trouble with a capital "T" And that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool!/em> |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2011-01-29 13:23 |