19 Sep 2009

Three people have been reportedly killed and several others wounded after police opened fire on demonstrations held in support of Palestinians on the annual Qods Day.

The attack happened as hundreds of people came to the streets of Zaria in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria on Friday. It was not clear what provoked the fighting.

Sheik el-Zazky, a Muslim leader, said his followers reported three people were killed and 12 wounded. Several demonstrators have also been arrested.

"They began stoning the police and then the trouble erupted. The police used firearms in self-defense," Assistant Police Commissioner Abubakar Danmalam said.

More than 200 ethnic groups generally live peacefully side by side, although civil war left one million dead between 1967 and 1970.

This comes after a leaked intelligence report detailed possible government plans to attack Members of an Islamic Movement in Nigeria called Boko Haram. The group had organized the rallies.

Security forces had been stationed in and around Zaria since last week.

The group alleges the Nigerian government had decided in a high level security meeting to "phase out" its top members.

presstv