Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria’s government imposed curfews and created a special commission to investigate violence that has targeted Christian homes, businesses and churches after a northern Muslim was defeated in the country’s April 16 presidential election.
Supporters of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler who polled about 31 percent in the balloting, took to the streets in four states of northern Nigeria. Buhari supporters lodged complaints of vote rigging even before election results were announced. After reports that incumbent Goodluck Jonathan received 57 percent of the vote, gangs of Buhari supporters launched looting and burning sprees.
The violence killed at least 120 people, injured hundreds and displaced thousands, the Reuters news service reported. Some of the violence has targeted Christians according to a statement from the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) human rights organization.
At least two churches have been burned and Christian homes and businesses were looted in Kaduna and Zaria, the CSW statement said. One man reportedly was murdered in Zaria as he tried to stop a mob from burning a church.
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