20110721
Reuters
JOS, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least six people were killed in renewed clashes between Christian and Muslim youths in central Nigeria, adding to already heightened security concerns in Africa's most populous nation.



Clashes between gangs on Wednesday were triggered by the death of a Muslim repairman who was called to a house in a Christian neighbourhood and was later found dead.

"There was an allegation by the Muslim community that a key repairer was allegedly murdered by suspected Christian youths ... the reprisal attacks left five people dead and about 12 others severely injured," said Charles Ekeocha, spokesman for a Plateau state special military task force.

The clashes are not thought to be related to almost daily bombings and shootings by radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram, which have mostly taken place in the northeastern state of Borno.

Hundreds were killed in religious attacks earlier this year in Plateau and neighbouring states in Nigeria's "Middle Belt", where the mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south meet.

But there has been a lull in violence since April's nationwide elections.

Tensions are rooted in decades of resentment between indigenous groups, mostly Christian or animist, who are vying for control of fertile farmlands and for economic and political power with migrants and settlers for the Muslim north.

The threat of a flare up in violence in central Nigeria will add to security headaches for government and President Goodluck Jonathan, who met with local Borno "Elders" on Wednesday to resolve months of attacks blamed on Boko Haram.

The Elders, who include traditional leaders, former policemen and army officers, have asked the military to leave Borno state after reports that soldiers had killed civilians and burned down public property.

"The meeting generally agreed that it is premature to withdraw the military," Information Minister Labaran Maku said, following a meeting in the capital Abuja attended by Jonathan, senior politicians and the security services.

"If there are cases of individual misbehaviour by members of the Joint Task Force (JTF), the authorities will look into those cases."

Boko Haram, which says it wants a wider application of sharia Islamic law across Nigeria, has claimed responsibility for the killings of police officers and attacks on churches and drinking places in recent months.

Most of the attacks have taken place in and around Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, where more than 150 people have been killed this year in the city of around 1.2 million people.

The latest homemade bomb attack on Tuesday killed a policemen and injured two more, the JTF said.

Thousands have fled the city in the last two weeks after schools, markets and the university were forced to close. The closures and a ban on motorbikes, which are used in Boko Haram attacks, has choked off the local economy.

Boko Haram strikes have spread farther afield in recent months, including a bomb in the car park of national police headquarters in the capital, Abuja, last month.