
Quotes are taken from Nigeria Taraba State Violence over Funeral Procession Leaves at least 39 Dead. You can read the entire article at Open Doors USA.
May 13 2013
Homes and shops destroyed, estimates of $6 million damage, repeat of February violence
World Watch Monitor
Security forces have been enforcing a 24-hour curfew in Wukari, Taraba State in Central Nigeria to prevent the escalation of violence between Christians and Muslims on Friday May 3 that left at least 39 people dead and at least 30 injured.
The bloody clash between the majority Christian Jukun community and the minority Fulani Muslims occurred during a burial procession for a traditional leader from the Jukun tribe.
The Jukuns are the ancestral people and majority inhabitants of Wukari and other parts of Taraba State. Many are Christians, a much smaller minority are animists and a few are Muslims. The mainly nomadic Fulani, predominantly Muslims, migrated to Wukari over the years.
In accordance with Jukun tradition, the bodies of high-ranking chiefs must be carried around the city prior to interment.
As the burial procession reached a predominantly Fulani area of the ancient city, youths there blocked the road and said no ‘arne’ (‘infidels’ in Hausa) would be allowed to pass their part of town, claiming the procession was interrupting Friday prayers.
This heated encounter quickly escalated into violence.
World Watch Monitor met the Regional Secretary in Africa of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), Gideon Para-Mallam. He told us a church deacon friend of his, Michael, was shot and killed early in the outbreak, leaving a widow Esther and a child.