More than 200 people have been killed in the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the predominately Islamic north since bomb explosions killed approximately 80 people in Christian communities December 24, the Human Rights Watch reported. Over the years, thousands of Nigerians have died in religiously motivated violence.

“Women are killed and children are killed. Pregnant women are killed and the babies cut out of their wombs,” the protestors’ spokesperson, Rhoda Awang, said. “We have local chiefs in all the 17 Local Government Councils. Where are they and what are they doing? We have former governors, where are they? Where is Yakubu Gowon [the former Nigerian President who is from Plateau State]? If the people are killed in the state who will they rule over?”

The women dressed in the black of mourning and protested for, among other things, the replacement of military forces in Jos by mobile police who are considered less biased.
The governor responded that they had already begun to gradually withdraw troops and “pleaded for restraint and understanding,” according to CSW.

read more: http://www.persecution.org/2011/02/02/thousands-of-women-march-through-jos-in-protest-against-violence/