Nigeria: Christian group quits peace talks with Muslims in Kaduna

An umbrella group representing various Christian churches in Nigeria said on Friday it had pulled out of peace talks with Muslims in the volatile northern Nigerian state of Kaduna after accusing Islamic militants of mounting a new spate of attacks on Christians across the north. For three years, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been in government-backed talks with its Muslim counterpart, Jamatu’ul Nasir Islam (JNI) in Kaduna State in a bid to end the sectarian violence. More than 3,000 people have died in clashes in the state capital of Kaduna, since 2000.