20120112
Reuters
LAGOS (Reuters) - Five people were killed when a mob attacked a mosque in southern Nigeria on Tuesday, forcing 3,000 Muslims to flee the area, an aid worker whose organisation works in the area said, raising fears that Africa's most populous country is edging towards sectarian conflict.

The aid worker, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject, told Reuters the mosque in the southwestern city of Benin was attacked during nationwide protests at a hike in fuel prices.

"It was an attack on a mosque. I know some people were attacked there and five were killed," he said. "People in that state of northern extraction are at risk and are leaving. Around 3,000 people have fled."

He gave no further details.

A police spokesman said he had not received any report about the attack.