Violence stems from cattle issues, not religion

Survivors say the authorities did nothing to prevent the butchery which came at a time when a curfew first imposed after January's bloodshed was meant to be in place.

Experts are saying that politics and cattle rustling is more of a basis for the indiscriminate killing, rather than religious tension.

Villagers in Doro Nahawa, as well as rights activists and religious leaders, believe the attacks were payback for clashes in January that left more than 300 people, mainly Muslims, in and around Jos, the capital of Plateau state.

 Pastor James Imuyé of the Inter-Faith Mediation Centre tells RFI, "Felani people said during the January crisis that people plundered their cows. So whenever they see a community with cows, they attack."

"The reason for the reoccurence is that people have not heaIed completely from the wounds of the past crisis," says Imuyé.

"Carrying guns, taking soldiers around with police, this will not heal the rift... it is what the religious leaders will do that will bring a lot of the healing," he added.

Louisa, a local villager, was among the mourning who were burying their dead today. "We are going to bury our sisters and brothers," she tells RFI through her tears. She was burying an aunt and six of her sister's children, all residents of Dogo Nahawa.