LAFIA, May 8: Thousands of Nigerian Muslims braved hostile Christian roadblocks on Friday to flee the town of Yelwa after an attack by Christian militia killed hundreds earlier in the week.

Many wounded and exhausted, the refugees sought police escorts to take them to neighbouring Bauchi and Nassarawa states as Christians manning road blocks in surrounding villages tried to kill them as they left.

"On our way to the hospital they blocked the road and we had to turn back and get armed escorts," said Ozero Yunusa, a blacksmith shot in the leg in Sunday's attack.

"Even then they still attacked our vehicles and one of my brothers was shot in the process," he said from his hospital bed in Nassarawa state capital Lafia.-Reuters