In the north, police are trying to stop gangs of young Moslem men from attacking Christian neighborhoods in the city of Kano. Demonstrations have been banned and police patrols increased. Violence four weeks ago left dozens dead and over 20,000 refugees (most Christian.) Kano has a population of about seven million.

Tribal violence has died down in central Nigeria's Plateau state, but this is mainly because of the thousands of additional police and troops sent to the area. The tension, and thousands of armed civilians, are still there.