Police officials in eastern Nigeria State of Taraba say at least 39 people have been killed in clashes between rival communities in the town of Wukari.

The clashes broke out between the members of the Jukun and Hausa Fulani community during a funeral procession in the town of Wukari.

The Jukun community is a Christian predominantly people while the Fulani is Muslim dominated people in the area.

Local reporters say that funeral was being held by the predominantly Christian Jukun ethnic group and it is unclear how the violence started.

But unsubstantiated rumor going round in the town has it that as the mourners passed through a Muslim area of the town they began chanting slogans which angered the residents there. This was not however confirmed by officials.

Spokesman for Taraba state police Joseph Kwaji told reporters dozens of riot police were deployed to the area after over 30 homes and properties were set on fire.

“At the end of the clash, 39 people were counted killed and several properties were razed by fire, Mr. Kwaji told Press TV.

Over 72 people were estimated to have been injured in the clash according to figures quoted by local reporters who had access to the town.

There is a long history of tensions between Nigerian Muslims, who mainly live in the north, and Christians who mostly live in the south along with followers of traditional animist religions.

At least 20 people lost their lives in a similar round of violence February over a row over which ethnic group was entitled to play on a football pitch in the town.

The violence came a day after a panel was set up to investigate the February clash in which several people died.

Nigeria is statistically home to more than 200 ethnic groups and has an almost equal Christian-Muslim population in the country.

But there have been increasing outbursts of violence, amid militant’s insurgency in the north which has forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

According to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, ethnic and religious conflicts in Nigeria have claimed the lives of over 14,000 people between 1999 and 2009.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News