The riots were in escalation in north Nigeria's Plateau State and it seems the unrest will spread to many states in the country.
The Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang has directed the security agents to shoot on sight any person or group they suspected to be fuelling the violence that engulfed the entire state in the past two days.
Sporadic shootings by rioters on the outskirts of Jos, capital of the state, continued on Saturday even as the death toll was on the increase from Thursday's electoral protests put at over 30 to over 200.
Some media reported that the death toll rose to about 350, but the figure has yet to be officially confirmed.
The riots have caused unrest across Nigeria. According to Lagos-based Punch newspaper, there was palpable tension in the commercial city of Onitsha in southeast Nigeria's Anambra State on Saturday.
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has asked the Governor of Plateau State Jonah Jang to bring the crisis rocking the state under control with immediate effect.
The riots in Jos broke out after local government elections in Plateau State.
As the election results were still being collated on Thursday night, news filtered out to the supporters of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) that the party's lead of 58,000 in Jos North was allegedly manipulated in favor of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
The supporters thus massed up and along the line, violence erupted, which led to more than 100 people reportedly killed and over 1,000 vehicles and scores of residential houses, mosques and churches burnt.
Governor Jang's directive, according to a statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs James Mannok, came after his assessment of the level of unprecedented destruction and killings during the crisis.
According to the statement, the earlier declared curfew of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. remained in force.
Residents of Rikkos, Congo, Russia, Bauchi Road, University of Jos, Nasarawa Gwong and Dutse Huku are strongly advised to stay indoors as security agents were under strict operational orders.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Red Cross branch secretary Manasseh A. Panpe said they could not give statistics of the casualties until the crisis had subsided. But he said that the injured and displaced people were many.
He said they took refuge at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Evangel Hospital, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Masalacin Juma'at and the Police Headquarters, Jos.
A military truck conveyed about 30 people killed in the rioting to the Zaria Road cemetery in Jos for burial, the Guardian reported.
Director of Press and Public Affairs James Mannok told press that 1,500 unidentified youths from neighbouring states and Abuja were arrested with dangerous weapons.
Youths, who wore police uniforms to harass people and loot their property, were also arrested Saturday, according to a police source.
Former information commissioner of the Plateau State Yakubu Dati described the scenario surrounding the violence as failure of governance.
He said, "The desperate and callous attempt of the government to deny the people of their rights to choose their leaders is the cause of this crisis."
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in North Central Nigeria Yakubu Pam described the crisis as very unfortunate, especially as the state had started experiencing stability and peace and recouping what they had lost in the past crises.
He said: "It was a well-planned attack. It was a well-planned action ahead of time. Some few people in the state have been taking the issue of elections as a do-or-die affair." He called on the Federal Government to help in this matter.
Source:Xinhua
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