Clashes between Christians and Muslims broke out in the tense central Nigerian city of Jos on Thursday that led to soldiers responding, with community groups claiming dozens were killed.
There were claims of 22 people killed on the Muslim side and 20 more among Christians, but the military would not confirm any casualty figures.
The head of a search and rescue team for the local Muslim community alleged that most of the deaths of Muslims were from shootings by soldiers.
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Jos has been hit by waves of violence between Christian and Muslim ethnic groups that have left hundreds dead in recent years, and clashes that killed at least 13 broke out in the city this week.
"We now have 22 dead including children," said Sabo Shuaibu, spokesman for the Jama'atu Nasril Islam group, an umbrella body for Nigerian Muslims.
"Most of the victims are teenagers. The oldest of the victims was a 60-year-old man who was shot in the head."
Abraham Hassan of the Stefanos Foundation, a Christian group, said "we have 20 people that have been killed in the violence. Fifty others have also been injured. Most of the injuries were from gunshot wounds and machete cuts."
Hassan Umaru, commander of a military task force in the region, would only confirm that "there was an incident in Dutse Uku neighborhood" that was contained by soldiers.
As for claims that soldiers shot the victims, he said "all I know is that soldiers will respond if they see anybody carrying arms with the intent of harming others."
Shitu Mohammed, the head of the Muslim search and rescue team, said the clash started when a Muslim was robbed of his motorbike by youths believed to be Christians.
Muslims then mobilised to get the motorbike back, he said. Soldiers responded and, according to Mohammed, a Christian fired at one of them, prompting the heavy-handed reaction.
"Most of these casualties were from military bullets because soldiers ran amok and began shooting anybody in sight," said Mohammed.
Jos lies in the Middle Belt region between the predominately Christian south and mainly Muslim north of Africa's most populous nation
