Lagos — Human Rights Writers' Association of Nigeria, has condemned the recent killings in Jos in which 20 people have been reported killed, describing it as religious terrorism.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko yesterday, HURIWA condemned the mass killing of innocent residents of Jos by some armed youths on Sunday. The rights group tasked government to put measures in place to stop the constant religious riots in parts of the North if democracy and development must take root in Nigeria.
Specifically, media report quoted the Plateau State Police Commissioner, Mr. Greg Anyanting as saying that the recent Jos crisis started when some Muslim youths in the early hours of the morning without any provocation, started attacking some worshipers in Nasarawa Gwong area, especially around Saint Michael's Catholic Church in Jos.
HURIWA lamented what it called 'unfortunate intermittent mass murder and hate killings' by local terrorists whose stock in trade is to cause maximum chaos in the name of religion by killing, maiming, and destroying human lives and hard earned properties.
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The group blamed the recurrent lethal feud on the federal and Plateau State Governments who it accused of not arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of the 2008 violence in the law court for mass murder.
It contended further that the politicization of the November 2008 religious killings in Jos was causative of last Saturday's mass murder of innocent worshipers by some misguided fundamentalists.
It added: "The ill-advised and emotionally inclined decisions by the federal and Plateau State governments to set up two different and indeed opposing judicial panels to unravel the causes of the November 2008 religious riots sent wrong signal to trouble makers in Jos that the political office holders responsible for the two levels of government are divided along ethnic and religious affiliations".
The journalists rights group therefore tasked the Plateau and Federal Governments to ensure that all those indicted for sponsoring and participating in all the religious crises in the state and indeed all parts of Nigeria are prosecuted and punished appropriately.
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I was indeed shocked to my spine once again the recent killings in Jos a city many regards to in the past as the most peaceful state in nigeria. I recall some few years back after a replica of such crisis in kaduna many who survive the crisis left for jos to settle down with the believe that jos is the most peaceful state, but only to be caught in what could be tagged as mother of all may hem before the declaration of state of emergency in the then joshua dariye led government. Meanwhile let me clearly state here that neither the so called inter or intra religous committe or debate at the national assembly level or high power governement committe will bring a lasting solution to this ugly incident that has becomes a norms month after month. You wil be surprise at my solution which is very simple but even though am no longer leaving in kaduna, but am quiet sure you will agree with me that the people of kaduna state has been living in peace and not in pieces. Hence the solution goes thus not only to jos but to other states like bauchi where religious crisis is iminent, the governement of the state should as a matter of urgent take the footstep of one single nigerian and one time governor of kaduna state, his excellency ALHAJI MAIKARIFI. Hence thus:
1. All other nothern state should meet him to borrow a leaf on how to curb such occurences.
2. Build security response post (Housing) within the city perhaps not less than 20 as the case may be depending on the volatile areas. 3. Set up a permanent military security soveilance with military tanks stationed at the emergency response (security house). 4. The building should be furnished with point to point radio communication with each unit having emmergency response number bodly displayed outside the gate of the building.
5. The governors of those states should go to kaduna and see for themself and held a meeting with my former governor, his excellency (maikarfi) who is presently a senator.
The said security response building is all over in kaduna such areas as kawo, tudunwada, tudunupawa, sabo'n tasha, barnawa. Hence even if crisis broke out it can always be brought under control within the shortest possible time. In my conclusion I will advice that a state of emergency be declared in Jos, pleateu state once again, because a governor who can not profer security to whom he is governing can definatatly has nothing to offer. He who has an ear let him hear, unless my suggestion is adhere to we are yet to see the worst, but God forbid. If setting up high power committee and intra or inter religious ethinicity group would have resolve this crisis we shouldnt have witness yet another ugly one that lasted two or more days. The perpetrator should be brought to book and those who were caught in military uniform should be decisevely dealt with to serve as a deterent to earing youths. Good luck
Why should we now blame the United States government for placing Nigeria under the list watch of terrorist when all fingers pointed to the fact. What is happening in Nigeria is not happeining in the Muslem nations of the world. Until the government of Nigeria summed up the will to deal with this ugly recurrent of regligious incidents in the north of the country, there will be no head way for the country. Honestly check out all the disturbaces in the north and the country in general and tell wich of the two main religion is the offender. I think it is time for our religious leaders to take a second look at what the preach and practice. God help Nigeria to truelly actualise nationhood. This is really a shame as astained by the Senate Leader David Mark. Something just have to be done.