Tension mounts in Kaduna as Christians, Muslims set for battle

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Palpable tension is building up in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria as Christians and Muslims prepare for battle over an alleged killing of a Muslim warlord by suspected Christians.

Pointblanknews.com gathered that several residents of Zango Kataf and Jema'a have been put on a red alert over a possible retaliatory attacks by Muslims who are aggrieved that one Imale, a Muslim warlord was killed by Christian youths from Zango Kataf.

Imale was said to be among the Muslim warlords believed to have coordinated last weekend killing of some Christian worshippers in Kafanchan, Kaduna State.

Pointblanknews.com gathered that even with the curfew imposed by the state Government, residents of the two towns are busy arming themselves in apparent loss of confidence in the security agencies.

Tension has been mounting between Christians and Muslims ever since Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, a Christian minority took over from Vice President Namadi Sambo and later won the April 2011 Governorship election.

In February 1992, rioting broke out over a local government decision to move a market from Muslim dominated area to one dominated by Christians in Kataf, Zango Kataf. Sixty people died. Worse rioting broke out in May, apparently after Kataf attacks on the Hausa community. The violence spread to Kaduna, where it was mainly directed by Hausas against Christians. Several churches were burned down and Christian ministers killed. The official death toll was 300 but unofficial estimates were as high as several thousand. Over 60,000 people fled their homes.