Kano, Nigeria:
At least seven people were killed Sunday in clashes between supporters of rival political parties in Nigeria's eastern Taraba state after a court nullified the election win of the state governor, police said.
"Seven people were killed and 15 injured in fighting between supporters of PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and APC (All Progressives Congress) in Wukari following the election tribunal verdict overturning the governorship election in favour of the APC," Taraba state police spokesman Joseph Kwaji said.
"Several homes and businesses were burnt in the violence which was brought under control by anti-riot policemen," Kwaji said.
Residents in the town of Wukari, some 220 kilometres (140 miles) from the state capital Jalingo, gave a higher toll however of 13 dead and 39 injured.
An election petition tribunal in Nigeria's capital Abuja had ruled Saturday that Aisha Alhassan of the APC was the rightful winner of the April 11 polls, annulling the victory of Darius Ishaku of the PDP -- Nigeria's main opposition party at the federal level but the governing party in Taraba state.
Alhassan, a Muslim and the only female candidate for governor across Nigeria's 36 states, was declared the winner on grounds of technicalities after the tribunal ruled that Ishaku's party did not follow proper procedure in nominating him to contest the election.
The tribunal's decision puts Alhassan on the path to becoming Nigeria's first elected female governor although she will likely have more legal hurdles to overcome as Ishaku indicated he would appeal the ruling.
The deadly clashes first erupted when supporters of Alhassan, a lawyer and minister-designate in President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet to be inaugurated on Wednesday, began celebrating her win on Saturday.
The violence continued into Sunday and took on ethnic and religious tones, with Muslim supporters of Alassan and Christian supporters of Ishaku launching attacks against each other, residents said.
Shehu Mohammed, a Muslim community leader, said six Muslims were killed and 30 injured, while a Christian leader, Zondo Hogu, said seven Christians died in the clashes and another nine were injured.
Wukari, a religiously divided town has for years been a flashpoint of sectarian unrest, with tensions leading to occasional deadly flare-ups over non-religious matters.
In May 2013 around 40 people were killed in religious violence in Wukari between Muslim and Christian residents over a soccer dispute between Muslim and Christian teams in the town.
"Seven people were killed and 15 injured in fighting between supporters of PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and APC (All Progressives Congress) in Wukari following the election tribunal verdict overturning the governorship election in favour of the APC," Taraba state police spokesman Joseph Kwaji said.
"Several homes and businesses were burnt in the violence which was brought under control by anti-riot policemen," Kwaji said.
Residents in the town of Wukari, some 220 kilometres (140 miles) from the state capital Jalingo, gave a higher toll however of 13 dead and 39 injured.
An election petition tribunal in Nigeria's capital Abuja had ruled Saturday that Aisha Alhassan of the APC was the rightful winner of the April 11 polls, annulling the victory of Darius Ishaku of the PDP -- Nigeria's main opposition party at the federal level but the governing party in Taraba state.
Alhassan, a Muslim and the only female candidate for governor across Nigeria's 36 states, was declared the winner on grounds of technicalities after the tribunal ruled that Ishaku's party did not follow proper procedure in nominating him to contest the election.
The tribunal's decision puts Alhassan on the path to becoming Nigeria's first elected female governor although she will likely have more legal hurdles to overcome as Ishaku indicated he would appeal the ruling.
The deadly clashes first erupted when supporters of Alhassan, a lawyer and minister-designate in President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet to be inaugurated on Wednesday, began celebrating her win on Saturday.
The violence continued into Sunday and took on ethnic and religious tones, with Muslim supporters of Alassan and Christian supporters of Ishaku launching attacks against each other, residents said.
Shehu Mohammed, a Muslim community leader, said six Muslims were killed and 30 injured, while a Christian leader, Zondo Hogu, said seven Christians died in the clashes and another nine were injured.
Wukari, a religiously divided town has for years been a flashpoint of sectarian unrest, with tensions leading to occasional deadly flare-ups over non-religious matters.
In May 2013 around 40 people were killed in religious violence in Wukari between Muslim and Christian residents over a soccer dispute between Muslim and Christian teams in the town.
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