20120206
AFP
Nigeria's senate president on Sunday called for decisive action to stem the deterioration of a security situation which he said had become intolerable in the religiously-divided country.

In a statement marking the Muslim festival of Eid-El Maulud, the birth of Prophet Mohammed, David Mark also said Nigeria's unity need to be preserved, amid reports of a Christian exodus from the north.

Violence blamed on Boko Haram, an extremist sect which seeks the creation of an Islamic state in the country's largely impoverished north, has killed close to 1,000 since 2009, including more than 250 this year alone.

"The current security challenge which has truly tasked and threatened the nation must be decisively confronted", said Mark, a Christian and former army officer.

"This is no time to sit on the fence and engage in the blame game. The situation has degenerated to an intolerable level leading to the mass movement (exodus) of our people from one end of the country to the order," Mark said.

According to local media, hundreds of Christians have left the north following a recent surge in Boko Haram attacks there.

Muslims have also been killed in the group's attacks as well as in reprisal attacks by Christians.

"Government at all levels and the security operatives must restore hope and peace that would engender confidence in our people to stop this drift. We have toiled over the years to keep Nigeria one. We cannot afford to slip now."