JOS, Nigeria (AP) _ Officials in northern Nigeria say Muslim youths set a church filled with worshippers ablaze, starting a riot between Muslims and Christians that killed at least 27 people and wounded more than 300 others. A local Red Cross official says about 5,000 people lost their homes as rioters also burned mosques and homes in Jos (jahs), a city that saw more than 300 residents killed during a similar uprising in 2008.
Musa Pam, secretary of a local Christian elders forum, issued a statement Monday claiming the Muslim youths picked Sunday to launch their attack because they knew Christians would be worshipping at church. He asked the police to bring the killers to justice, because Christians were being attacked without cause.