Riots rage on as beauties flee
2002-11-23 16:00
Kaduna - Riots raged on in the northern Nigerian city Kaduna on Saturday after violence there forced beauty pageant organisers to abandon plans to stage Miss World in Nigeria.
Fighting which began as protest by Muslim youths against a newspaper article on the pageant has now degenerated into a bloody street war between Muslims and Christians.
An AFP journalist was forced to join about a 1 000 refugees hiding in the Kronenbourg brewery in the south of the city near the main road to Abuja, protected by troops and an armoured car.
"We had to run for our lives. They came to my house in two cars and tried to burn it. We really don't known what is happening," 20-year-old Julie Adabo said.
Another woman said a gang came to kill her after burning her home and only let her live when she lied and claimed to be a Muslim. One man said he had seen his brother cut down before him.
As she spoke, gunfire could be heard from the Trikania district around the plant and several buildings could be seen in flames.
Rioting in Kaduna on Thursday claimed at least 100 lives. Many more are since thought to have perished.
"Fighting continued until 23:30 in this area. It started again at 06:30. We hear gunfire permanently," said the plant's French manager Regis Bouffartigue.
"The soldiers shoot and the demonstrators return fire. According to the soldiers, the demonstrators even have AK-47s (assault rifles)," he said.
Miss World's organisers announced early on Saturday that they would quit Nigeria and seek to hold the December 7 ceremony, which was set for the Nigerian capital Abuja, in London instead. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA