45 churches torched in Niger over Charlie Hebdo

NIAMEY, Jan 19 – Forty-five churches were torched over the weekend in Niger’s capital during deadly protests over the publication of a Prophet Mohammed cartoon by the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, police said on Monday.

The protests, which left five people dead and 128 people injured, also saw a Christian school and orphanage set alight, Adily Toro, a spokesman for the national police, told a press conference.

Similar protests on Friday in the second city of Zinder also saw five people killed and 45 wounded.