Shoppers walk through a plaza in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, March 29, 2021. Photo: VCG

Nigerian authorities on Sunday imposed a curfew in parts of central Plateau state, a day after a suspected Christian militia attacked a convoy of 90 Muslims, killing at least 23.

Northwest and central Nigeria have for years struggled with violence between mainly Muslim nomadic herders and Christian farmers over control of resources, water and land.

Condemning the attack, President Muhammadu Buhari said in a statement that this was "not an agriculturalist-on-pastoralist confrontation - but rather a direct, brazen and wickedly motivated attack."

On Saturday, "a group of attackers suspected to be Irigwe youths [predominantly Christian]... attacked a convoy of five buses with Muslim faithful," said police spokesperson Ubah Ogaba. 

A group representing Irigwe people rejected responsibility.

"While we still mourn and grieve, we kindly ask the police command to withdraw such an unfounded statement that is capable of tarnishing and ruining the image of Rigwe people," said Davidson Malison, a spokesperson for the Irigwe Development Association.

Police had initially said 22 of the 90 travelers were killed, but the death toll was revised upwards on Sunday. 

"Twenty-three of those attacked lost their lives and 23 persons sustained injuries," state governor Simon Lalong said in a statement.

Concerned about "persisting tensions and reported attempts by some persons to take the laws into their hands," the governor "directed the imposition of a curfew on Jos North, Bassa and Jos South," between 6 pm and 6 am. 

Later on Sunday, the state government announced a full lockdown on Jos North.

AFP