The 2001 Jos riots were riot

Riot

A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...

s involving Christians and Muslim

Islam in Nigeria

Fifty percent of the population of Nigeria adheres to Islam, compared to Christianity which represents 40% of the population. Islam came to Northern Nigeria as early as the 9th century CE, and was well established in the Kanem-Bornu Empire during the reign of Humme Jilmi...

s in Jos

Jos

Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....

, Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

 over the appointment of a Muslim politician, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, as local coordinator of the federal poverty alleviation program. The clashes started on September 7 and lasted nearly two weeks, ending on September 17. Over 1000 people were killed because of the conflicts.

Many houses, mosque

Mosque

A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...

s and churches were damaged, destroyed or burned to the ground. Torched cars were left along the streets after the clashes between Christians and Muslims. Property and even human beings were set on fire also. Three churches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria

Church of Christ in Nigeria

The Church of Christ in Nigeria is a Christian denomination in Nigeria. It was founded in 1904. It believes in the infallibility of the bible. Its headquarters is in Jos, Plateau State. Its current president is Pandang Yamsat. It used to have the name of Ekkleiyar Kristi A Nigeria. Its membership...

 (COCIN) were burned. Three major hospitals suggested that their government increased casualty figures by hundreds.

The clashes started on September 7, 2001, when a Christian woman attempted to cross a barricaded street. It led to a conflict between her and a group of Muslims, church leaders said. The fight eventually spread to other parts of the city. Christians were spontaneously attacked by Muslims, according to church leaders. The clash ended on September 17, 2001, when Nigeria's president, Olusegun Obasanjo, lamented the violence between the Muslims and Christians. Local sources see the introduction of military intervention and strictly enforced curfews as the major contributor to the end of the clashes. Because of the large number of people involved who were killed in the clashes, a mass burial had to be arranged as said by Mortuary attendants from Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau State Specialist Hospital.