ONITSHA RIOTS UPDATE:POLICE KEPT ON ALERT

UNCLAS LAGOS 000286 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W STATE FOR INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV NI SUBJECT: ONITSHA RIOTS UPDATE:POLICE KEPT ON ALERT REF: LAGOS 278 ¶1. (SBU) Violence in Onitsha, Nnewi and other cities in Anambra State has subsided following the February 21-22 riots. But police in Anambra and several other southeastern states remain on high alert. Anambra State government media spokesman said he expected police to remain deployed in various cities and a curfew imposed for at least one week until tensions died down. ¶2. (SBU) Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige's Special Media Assistant Fred Chukwuemobe has told us that five official teams were sent to Onitsha, Nnewi and other Anambra cities to speak to Muslim communities there and ease tensions. ¶3. (SBU) Chukwuemobe said Governor Ngige is visiting Onitsha today to speak to Muslim community leaders and provide naira 2.5 million (USD 19,231) to assist victims of the riots. According to Chukwuemobe, at least two mosques were attacked during the February 21-22 riots. Anambra State has temporarily closed all public primary schools for one week, he said. ¶4. (SBU) Nigerian Red Cross Director Abiodun Orebiyi said Red Cross volunteers in Onitsha and other Anambra cities report violence has subsided. However, he said skirmishes occurred February 22 in Enugu, Enugu State, in which at least 7 Muslims were killed and 92 injured. ¶5. (SBU) Red Cross Disaster Management Officer Adeyemo Andronitus reported Muslim attacks on Christians in Kontagora, Niger State. No killings have been reported, but Red Cross volunteers said Christians took refuge at an army barracks in the suburbs of Kontagora. BROWNE