ROME - The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), John Onaiyekan, has condemned the deadly Christian-Muslim riots in the city of Jos at the weekend.

The violence, in which over 200 people were killed and many others injured and displaced, is deplorable not only because of the lives and properties destroyed, but also because of the spiritual damage caused to efforts at building good relations across lines of ethnic, political and religious differences, the archbishop said in a statement from Rome.

'There is the risk that the recent events might compromise or at least slacken these laudable efforts. This risk must be avoided by all means. There is no alternative to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and positive collaboration in Nigeria', the archbishop pointed out.