The death toll in Nigeria is rising as the clashes between Muslim and Christian gangs intensify.

Almost 400 people have been killed as rival ethnic and religious gangs burned homes, shops, mosques and churches in fighting triggered by a disputed local election. It is the country's worst unrest for years.

Murtala Sani Hashim, who has been registering the dead as they were brought to the main mosque in the Nigerian city of Jos, said he had listed 367 bodies.

A doctor at one of the main city hospitals said he had received 25 corpses and 154 injured since the unrest began.

Dr Aboi Madaki of the Jos University Teaching Hospital said: "Gunshot wounds, machete injuries, those are the two main types."

Nuhu Gagara, Plateau state information chief, said official police figures indicated that around 200 people had been killed. But he said information was still being collated.

Soldiers patrolled on foot and in jeeps to enforce a 24-hour curfew on the worst-hit neighbourhoods. People who ventured out in some areas walked with their hands in the air to show they were unarmed.

Mr Gagara said: "All indications are the situation is well contained. We believe it is almost over. It is unlikely it will spill to other states."

The Red Cross said around 7,000 people had fled their homes and were sheltering in government buildings, an army barracks and religious centres. A senior police official said five neighbourhoods had been hit by unrest and 523 people detained.

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