At least 83 Nigerians have been reported killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) capital Bangui in the latest wave of sectarian violence following months of political crisis.

However, while French President Francois Hollande, shocked by the news of the killing of two French peacekeepers in the violence-torn country, flew straight from Nelson Mandela’s funeral in South Africa and US President Barack Obama expressed outrage over goings-on in the country, the Nigerian Government appeared unconcerned.

CAR has been in chaos since rebel leader Michel Djotodia ousted President Francois Bozize in March.

“Fuelled by ethnic rivalries, the conflict has also now become sectarian in nature as Djotodia installed himself as the first Muslim leader in the Christian-majority country, sparking months of bloody clashes between rival fighters,” says a report this morning in the Abuja-based Daily Trust.

The paper quoted a Nigerian community leader resident in Bangui, Muhammad Kalanbai, as saying that most of the Nigerians killed in the latest violence were Muslims from the North.

“As I am speaking to you now, there are 16 bodies of Nigerian Muslims at the Ali Baglo mosque in Bangui, who were not buried because of the violence,” Kalanbai, who is the leader of northern Nigerians living in that country, told Daily Trust.

“Just last week over 67 Nigerian Muslims were killed by the supporters of Bozize. We are under serious attack.

“As I am talking to you now, you can even hear gunshots. I narrowly escaped being killed yesterday,” he added.

A report by Reuters news agency said that much of the wide-scale violence that has killed hundreds in the last week has eased but reporters in Bangui saw a mosque set on fire, houses looted and cars torched yesterday. Residents reported several lynchings overnight, too.

Kalanbai, who was quoted earlier, disclosed that the Nigerian Muslims living in the country were “now rushing to the Nigerian embassy in Bangui for protection.”

He urged the Federal Government to evacuate them back to Nigeria, saying: “We are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to come to our rescue by sending aircraft to bring us back to Nigeria. Our lives are in serious danger.”

The community leader said that other African countries, including Cameroon, Chad and Mali, had already sent planes to evacuate their nationals.

Reacting to the incident, the Nigerian Government yesterday said it was unaware of the killing of Nigerians in CAR. Daily Trust quotes Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman, Mr. Ode Ogbole, when contacted, as saying: “I am hearing this from you but I will contact our Central African Republic mission to find out about the report.”

Meanwhile, President Obama yesterday in an audio ‘Message to the People of the Central African Republic’ condemned the violence and called for an immediate end to it. In the transcript made available to News Express by the US Embassy in Nigeria, Obama said:

“Mbi bala ala kouè. This is President Barack Obama, and today I want to speak directly to you – the people of the Central African Republic.

“I know that in your lives you have faced great hardship. But I also know that you’ve lived together in peace – as diverse and vibrant communities, Christian and Muslim. Together, you celebrate a proud history and a land of extraordinary beauty. Together, you emerged from colonialism and achieved independence. Together, you realize that we are all children of God and that – whatever our faith – we all deserve to live in peace and dignity.

“But the awful violence of recent days threatens the country you love. Innocent men, women and children have been killed. Families have fled their homes. And we know from the bitter experience of other countries what happens when societies descend into violence and retribution. Today, my message to you is simple: it doesn’t have to be this way. You – the proud citizens of the Central African Republic – have the power to choose a different path.

“Respected leaders in your communities – Muslim and Christian – are calling for calm and peace. I call on the transitional government to join these voices and to arrest those who are committing crimes. Individuals who are engaging in violence must be held accountable – in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, as forces from other African countries and France work to restore security, the United States will support their efforts to protect civilians.

“Most of all, every citizen of the Central African Republic can show the courage that’s needed right now. You can show your love for your country by rejecting the violence that would tear it apart. You can choose peace. You can choose to live up to the rule that is at the heart of all great faiths – that we treat other people the way we want to be treated ourselves.

“That is how we honor our faiths. That is how reconciliation occurs. That’s how the Central African Republic can move forward – and return to a better path, toward a future where you and your fellow citizens can seek the security and dignity and peace you deserve.

“Singuila.”

•Photo, courtesy The Times of London, paints a picture of the violence in the Central African Republic.

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