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NIGERIA: Cathedral burned and bishop's office attacked in a riot






Posted: Thursday, September 21, 2006
A local conflict between a Christian and a Muslim woman escalated into a full blown riot on the streets of Dutse, Nigeria, causing St. Peter's Anglican Cathedral to be burned to the ground and the diocesan bishop's office and car port destroyed, Bishop Yesufu Lumu of Dutse (Jigawa State, Nigeria) told Anglican Communion News Service by telephone.

"No one was hurt," Dutse said. "We are simply praying that the conflict does not spread."

The Rev. Canon AkinTunde Popoola, provincial communications officer, told ACNS that all vehicles belonging to the diocese were also burned, as well as business premises of some church members, during the rioting on September 19.

According to one report the anger was said to have been "sparked off by an alleged blasphemous comment on Prophet Muhammed by a Christian woman, who reportedly spoke in reaction to a similarly irreverent statement about Jesus Christ by a male Muslim."

  
  
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