KANO, Nigeria, February 20, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Nigerian Muslims strongly condemned on Monday, February 20, attacks on churches and local Christians in northern Nigerian during protests against Danish cartoons mocking Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).

"It is un-Islamic to take innocent lives and destroy property. Non-Muslims in Nigeria have nothing to do with this publication," said Lateef Adegbite, secretary general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the main umbrella body for Muslim associations, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Muslims protesting the anti-Prophet cartoons in Maiduguri, the capital of the state of Borno, turned on local Christians after police broke up a rally against the insulting drawings on Saturday, February 19.

At least 15 people were killed and a dozen churches, 200 shops, 50 houses and 100 vehicles were razed and vandalized.

"We appeal to Christians for calm and not to retaliate on this unfortunate incident. Regard it as a misguided adventure by Muslims who have acted against the tenets of Islam," he said.

Abu Sufyan Ibn Abubakar, the president of the Association of Muslim Brotherhood of Nigeria, also condemned the attacks.

"Islam does not encourage the killing of an individual or burning places of worship," he was quoted as saying by All Africa Web site.

Twelve cartoons lampooning the prophet were published in September by Denmark's mass-circulation daily Jyllands-Posten and later reprinted by newspapers in many countries.

The drawings, considered blasphemous under Islam, have triggered massive and sometimes violent demonstrations across the Muslim world, with no sign of abating.

Muslim scholars, including prominent Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, organizations and leaders have been united in condemning violent attacks over the cartoons.

Joshua Raja, representative of the Kaduna chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said there was no basis for violence and wanton destruction of lives and property in Maiduguri.

He stressed that Nigerian Christians condemned the blasphemous cartoons.

On Monday, Pope Benedict XVI of the Vatican condemned the cartoons.

"In order to promote peace and understanding between peoples and mankind, it is both vital and urgent that religions and their symbols are respected and that believers are not the object of provocations that wound their religious feelings," he said in a speech to the new Moroccan ambassador to the Holy said.

"However, intolerance and violence can never be justified as a response to any offence, because it is a response that is incompatible with the sacred principles of religion," added the pontiff.

Raja and Abubakar said they were resolved to launch an enlightenment campaign to educate people to avoid falling prey to parties seeking to capitalize on the current situation to achieve their interests.

The controversy has prompted several Muslim minorities in the West to champion local campaigns to promote awareness of the messenger of God.

Nigeria’s recent census shows that Muslims make up 55 percent of the country’s 133 million, Christians 40 percent and five percent atheists.

However, other estimates indicated that Muslims make up some 65 percent of the country.