The meeting came as a Christian leader in the country’s north warned the government must take action to address spiralling violence or risk religious war, though he stressed Christians must not retaliate.
The US military commander for Africa meanwhile expressed renewed concern over Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram, which claimed the Christmas attacks, particularly over suspicions of links with foreign groups like Al-Qaeda.
Nigeria’s top Muslim leader said after a 90-minute meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan that the attacks which killed 40 people, including worshippers leaving a Catholic church near the capital, did not signal a religious conflict.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that there is no conflict between Muslims and Christians, between Islam and Christianity,” Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar told journalists.
