A 24-hour curfew has been reinstated in the Nigerian state of Kaduna from 11:00 local time on Friday following the death of a prominent traditional chief, who was abducted amid communal violence last week.

Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agom Adara (the traditional leader of the Adara people), was abducted last Friday after visiting the town of Kasuwan Magani, which had just witnessed clashes between Muslim and Christian youths at its market.

The unrest in Kasuwan Magani led to deadly violence elsewhere in the state, which is why a curfew was initially imposed

An official from a local Adara group who went to identify the chief's body at a hospital in Kaduna said kidnappers had collected a ransom and then killed him, local media reports.

The Kaduna state government said the “criminal elements who perpetrated this crime should not be allowed to divide us”.

Its statement about the new curfew continued:

Quote Message: This is a struggle between good, decent, law-abiding people trying to uphold the peace and criminals who want to divide and destroy.

This is a struggle between good, decent, law-abiding people trying to uphold the peace and criminals who want to divide and destroy.

Quote Message: It is not a struggle between religious or ethnic groups. Let no criminal find succour in faith or tribe."

It is not a struggle between religious or ethnic groups. Let no criminal find succour in faith or tribe."