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NIGERIA: DEATH TOLL IN CARTOON RIOTS RISES February 20, 2006
Kizza Harajah
(SomaliNet) The number of people dead in Saturday's anti cartoon riots in Nigeria has increased to 45. Many others have been arrested in Nigeria's North-eastern town, Maiduguri for having taken part in these riots.Figures of arrests have been contradictory. While some said 30 were arrested, others put the figure at close to 100. A Christian policeman and a pastor are hiding in our house now," a source said.
Soldiers have also been stationed in other parts of Nigeria to avoid a reoccurance of the event.
The Danish newspaper that first published the "blasphemous cartoons" has used the Saudi Arabia newspapers to apologise to the moslim community worldwide. In part, the apology reads:
"It is extremely important to point out that the aim behind these cartoons was not to attack the Prophet at all or devalue him, but as an opening to dialogue on freedom of expression."