JOS KILLINGS NOW DAILY AFFAIR

Jos Killings Continue in N/Central Nigeria

Written by Elombah.com, Monday, 05 September 2011 13:27

At least four people have been killed in the latest violence between rival groups in the village of Dabwak, Jos, Plateau state, North central Nigeria, officials say. The mostly inhabited Christian community, was attacked on Sunday night, government spokesman Pam Ayuba said. 11 people were killed over the weekend in a nearby village, Tatu - eight people in one family were killed overnight Saturday while three people were killed Sunday. Both incidents happened near the city of Jos. Plateau state police commissioner Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni says police are investigating the incidents. He gave no further details.

Over Forty persons were reportedly killed in renewed violence In Jos on Thursday, after last Monday’s mayhem which claimed 20 lives, 50 vehicles and 100 motorcycles as both Muslim and Christian youths mobilised against each other in different parts of the state capital.

In the Plateau state which surrounds Jos, Hausa-speaking Muslims are seen as supporters of the opposition, while ethnic Beroms, who are mostly Christian, are perceived to favour the governing People's Democratic Party.

More than 1,000 have been killed in religious and ethnic violence in Jos over the past two years. The state lies in Nigeria's Middle Belt, between the mainly Muslim north and Christian south.

Rev. James Pam told elombah.com "the Hausa/Fulani Muslims in Jos are migrants who have settled there for any period from the time of the Dan Fodio jihads of 1904 up to one or two years ago. Their claims to ownership of land in Jos have been proven to be baseless by competent authorities. All the land they occupy is an Anaguta, Afizere and Berom inheritance. Their large numbers today in Jos can be attributed to their practice of polygamy and fresh continues migration from elsewhere. Though they occupy up to 10% of the heart of Jos today, they don’t even have traditional burial grounds".

But speaking to elombah.com, Abdullahi Dahiru said "If somebody is non-indigine,does he deserve to be ambushed in a praying ground and be killed?

Democracy is about the will of the majority. If Igbos have the majority in Sabon Gari LGA in kano state, let them contest and win election. There is no justice in an election where somebody contested and won only to be hijacked because he is non indigine as it has happened in Jos North LGA. Do people know that Wase and Kanam LGAs of plateau state are inhabited by Hausa people. Does that mean this people have no right to reside in the state capital and be treated as indigines of their own state?"

Mr Ayiba said the attackers in the latest incident had not yet been identified. Our reporter says eight members of a Christian family - a father, mother and their six children - were killed in the attack in Tatu. It followed the killing of three Muslims in the village, he says. More than 40 Muslims and Christians were killed in Jos city last Thursday. Our reporter says many residents allege the security forces were responsible for most of the deaths. They accuse the army of using excessive force to end the violence, our reporter says.

Jos's Catholic Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama and Muslim leader Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir made a fresh appeal for peace but various initiatives to end the decade-long conflict have failed, our reporter says.