LAGOS, Nov 29: Hundreds of people were killed in the central Nigerian city of Jos when Christians and Muslims clashed over the result of a local election, witnesses said on Saturday.

“I was at the central mosque this afternoon and I counted 378 dead bodies but just as I was about to leave, three more bodies were brought,” a correspondent for Radio France Internationale in Jos, Aminu Manu, told AFP.

“Hundreds of people have been killed in the last two days since the riots started. Remains of burnt bodies litter some parts of the town; it is so terrible,” Christian clergyman Yakumu Pam said.

Local Radio Plateau said the governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, had placed four districts of the city under a curfew and ordered police to fire on anyone who broke it following the clashes on Friday.

Aminu Manu said incidents of violence were still being reported in the city on Saturday.

“So far over 10,000 people have been displaced from their homes (who) are now seeking refuge in churches, mosques and army and police barracks,” a Nigerian Red Cross official said.

“I can’t give any figures but there are dead bodies on the streets that are yet to be evacuated. We are afraid of an outbreak of an epidemic if they are allowed to decompose,” he said.

“In these places where people are taking refuge, there is no water and no food. We call on the Nigerian emergency management agencies to come to their aid,” he added.

A brief government statement late on Friday said that President Umaru Yar’Adua had sent in army troops to contain the

situation.—AFP