Daily Independent (Lagos)
Olusola Balogun, Paul Arhewe, Chesa Chesa and Onoja Audu
3 December 2008
Plateau lawmakers on Tuesday requested both the state and Federal Governments to probe the sectarian clashes that led to the death of several hundred people in Jos last week.
The state government has already announced the arrest of 16 mercenaries from Niger Republic who allegedly participated in the violence, although this is disputed by that country.
Information Commissioner, Nuhu Gagara, accused them of being on a cross-border combat mission, and said weapons were found in their possession.
It was amid the argument the legislators met in Jos, after which Speaker Emmanuel Go'ar, issued a statement demanding the probe and that the government should assist those displaced with relief materials, and ensure the treatment of the injured.
In Abuja, an angry President Umaru Yar'Adua refused to see Governor Jonah Jang whom he accused on Monday of being insensitive to the victims by attempting to swear in council officials whose election triggered the violence.
Jang arrived the Villa in the morning on Tuesday and waited for Yar'Adua to present the budget to the National Assembly in the hope of seeing him later, but he was not granted audience by the President.
A source said Yar'Adua instead directed him to meet with Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Details of the parley were not disclosed at press time.
However, Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, repeated the assurances given by Ohanaeze that there would be no reprisals in the South East for the losses suffered by the Igbo in Jos.
"Nobody was singled out for this mayhem in Jos, and it has not extended to other parts of Plateau State. It is just political rascality and hooliganism occasioned by unemployment, " Ohakim said after meeting with Yar'Adua in Abuja.
Back in Jos, Gagara confirmed that "16 suspected mercenaries were brought in from Niger Republic to take part in the violence. They have been arrested and are being interrogated."
But the accusation was promptly rejected by Niger Republic, with the country's Ambassador to Nigeria, Isa Ibrahim, saying those arrested had been living in Jos "for several years as water vendors."
The Action Congress (AC) commended Yar'Adua for stopping the swearing in of the council officials, but urged him to go further by ordering the cancellation of the polls as a sign of respect for the deceased.
"Allowing the results of the election to stand is like staging a dance on the graves of those innocent souls.
"Yar'Adua should therefore show rare courage by also stopping the results," said AC National Publicity Secretary.
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