April 01, 2014 - Witnesses and an official say that angry Muslim youths set ablaze
a Catholic church and tried to destroy an attached school in northern Nigeria over
an alleged insult to the Prophet Muhammad. Witness Tukur Musa says soldiers on Monday
stopped the mob from setting ablaze the school in Funtua town in Katsina state, but
they arrived too late to save St. Rita Catholic Church. He says the town was in an
uproar about an examination question last week which they considered an insult to
the Prophet Muhammad. They reported the matter to district authorities. When no action
was taken, young Muslims attacked.
Deputy Police Superintendent Aminu Abubakar
Saddiq confirmed the church was burned and school damaged but said no one was injured.
Religious
strife is common in central and northern Nigeria.