|TOP|Some of the most senior Christians in Nigeria have condemned the violent protests over the publication of controversial cartoons which have seen riots and killings now spread to the east of the country.

The Archbishop of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Sunday Ola Makinde, described it as unfortunate that what happened in Denmark, a country so far away from Nigeria, could have led to the destruction of churches and human lives in the country, reports AllAfrica News Agency.

“Christians all over the world do not even know anything about the incident and yet they are the ones receiving the knocks in Nigeria," he lamented.

Rev. Makinde urged the government of Nigeria to ensure the security of Christians in the country, and affirm to the warring parties and countries around the world that Nigeria is a peaceful country.

He went on to praise the president of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Sultan of Sokoto, and the Secretary-General, Alhaji Lateef Adegbite, saying it was his “joy” that both have come out to condemn the church burnings and killings that have taken place throughout the predominantly Muslim North.

|AD|Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) said Thursday that a political motive lay at the heart of the deaths and protests taking place in Northern Nigeria, the country’s The Daily Champion reported.

“PFN believes that the very serious crises in part of Northern Nigeria which have resulted in the wanton destruction of innocent lives and properties could not be the result of the cartoon published some months ago in Denmark," he contended.

Rather, he attributed the destruction of property and lives as being part of a "sinister design by some evil people which has no foundation in religion but is calculated to destabilise the nation."

The comments follow a statement made by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, also president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, made Tuesday.

Rev. Akinola said: “That an incident in far away Denmark which does not claim to be representing Christianity could elicit such an unfortunate reaction here in Nigeria, leading to the destruction of Christian Churches, is not only embarrassing, but also disturbing and unfortunate.

“We have for a long time now watched helplessly the killing, maiming and destruction of Christians and their property by Muslim fanatics and fundamentalists at the slightest or no provocation at all,” Akinola added.

Reuters reported that 11 were killed across three Nigerian cities on Friday by Muslim and Christian mobs, after a week of clashes that have left at least 157 dead and more than 900 injured.