U.N. chief appalled by Nigeria violence, calls for restraint

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon 'deeply concerned' about religious violence in Nigeria.

UNITED NATIONS (MARCH 8, 2010) UNTV - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday (March 8) he was deeply concerned about the recent "appalling" deaths in Nigeria, and urged the country's political and religious leaders to solve the nation's crisis.
Several hundred people are feared to have been killed in recent clashes involving Muslim herders and Christian villagers. Violence has been concentrated around the city of Jos, which lies at the crossroads of Nigeria's Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

"I am deeply concerned that there has been more inter-religious violence, with appalling loss of life," Ban said in New York. "I appeal to all concerned to exercise maximum restraint."

He urged Nigeria's political and religious leaders to work together to "address the underlying causes and to achieve a permanent solution to the crisis in Jos."

Nigeria's acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, called an emergency meeting with all security service chiefs on Monday to discuss strategies to prevent clashes spreading to neighboring states, presidential sources said.