Nigeria: death of priest injured in Miss World riots

Fr Gemisi Iyere, the Nigerian diocesan priest who was attacked during last week's riots over the Miss World show in Kaduna, died of his injuries today. The Missionary News Service report that they received the news from the Archbishop of Abuja, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan. Fr Gemisi lost his fight for life in the city's hospital where he was being treated for multiple injuries and burns, after being beaten up by rioters who had set his house on fire. The official death toll is now 215 More than 1,000 people are injured. Many churches, mosques and hundreds of homes have been destroyed. The Archbishop said the riots were not a matter of disputes between religions, but a violation of human rights. He told MISNA: "Even the government is starting to understand that we cannot continue in this way. The civil authorities have a duty to avoid such violence".