Jos — Death toll in the latest religious violence in Jos rose to about 300 on Wednesday, as the riot spread to the neighbouring town of Pankshin, about 100 kilometres from the Tin City.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) met in Abuja and backed Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on the measures he has taken to contain the bloodshed.
Scores have died and properties worth millions of Naira have been destroyed since it began on January 17, and Jonathan ordered more troops deployment on Tuesday and directed the military and the police to stop the madness.
A FEC meeting he chaired at the Villa in Abuja reviewed the situation and expressed sympathy for the victims.
The FEC "is greatly concerned and disturbed about the crisis in Jos," Minister of State for Information, Ikra Bilbis, told reporters, adding that President Umaru Yar'Adua has been informed of measures taken in his absence.
"Do not forget that (Jonathan) is acting on his behalf, and I assure you, Mr. President is being briefed on whatever is happening here.
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"The Council expresses its deep sympathy to all those who lost their loved ones and property in the crisis and promises that the government will do all in its powers to ensure that lives and properties are protected," Bilbis added.
Jonathan held another security meeting with heads of security agencies and the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Paul Dike, to review the measures taken so far.
It ended without an official statement, and the participants did not speak to the press.
Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, now in Jos on the orders of Jonathan, described the damage as "substantial" after he inspected the ruins at the flashpoints.
He said it is unfortunate the crisis took place at all, but took consolation in the timely deployment of police and soldiers who contained it.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Onovo visited Congo-Russia, Dutse Uku, Bukuru, Rikkos, Nasarawa Gwom, and Bisichi which have turned into battlefields since Sunday, with fires still smouldering in some areas.
He said the rioters have vanished because of the effective security measures in place, and that he would direct investigation of claims that men in Army uniform unleashed terror on people.
More troops in two lorry loads arrived Jos on Wednesday.
However, a resident of Pankshin told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) by telephone that fighting there began at 2130 GMT (10.30 p.m. Nigerian time) on Tuesday, and had continued into Wednesday morning but no soldiers could be seen on the streets.
Another family said they had fled Pankshin to neighbouring Bauchi State to escape the violence, even though troops commander, Lt Col Shekari Galadima said Jos is "very calm" as the Army is enforcing a 24-hour curfew.
He insisted there would be no more riots.
Religious officials confirmed that at least 265 people have died since Sunday, including 65 Christians and 200 Muslims.
Muhammad Tanko Shittu, a senior mosque official organising mass burials, gave a much higher death toll - telling Reuters more than 350 Muslims have died.
Galadima told the BBC's Network Africa programme that Jos "has been brought under control tremendously".
The Associated Press (AP) reported that soldiers with machine guns patrol in pick-up trucks and residents are stopping and raising their hands to show they are not a threat as the trucks pass.
The Red Cross, which was unable to get into Jos on Tuesday, said its workers had begun to treat the wounded.
And at least 5,000 people have fled the violence and are using army barracks and public buildings as temporary accommodation.
Shamaki Gad of the League for Human Rights, which is based in Jos, said people have little faith in the security forces to restore order, because no one has been prosecuted for participating in previous religious and ethnic clashes.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Abdulraman Danbazau also led Army officers to Jos to take stock, as directed by Jonathan.
He visited displaced persons in refugee camps and promised that the Army would provide them water and medicals.
Danbazau admitted that five suspects who were caught wearing fake Army uniforms are in custody, but added that one of them identified himself as genuine police personnel.
He assured that the police are doing everything humanly possible to restore law and order.
But Governor Jonah Jang expressed worry about the existence of fake soldiers spotted in Jos and Bukuru.
In Abuja, the Senate urged the security agencies to restore normalcy as soon as possible.
Leading debate on a motion sponsored by all the three Senators from Plateau State, Gyang Dantong expressed worry that the "violence has left in its trail the destruction of places of worship, properties worth millions of Naira and the loss of no fewer than 190 persons with many others injured."
Niger Delta Committee Chairman, James Manager, urged the Chamber to go beyond mere debate of the motion and take action.
"The Plateau is on fire again. There's a problem. We have always debated the plateau crisis in this Senate and what has become of that intervention?
"What has become of the report of the Ndoma-Egba Panel that was set up in 2008? We must go beyond debate in this chamber. There have been commissions of inquiry on the Plateau crisis and yet, there are no resolutions. Something must be done urgently about Plateau State."
Deputy Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, expressed regret that Jos, "which was a preferred choice for non-Plateau citizens as place of retirement, has become a battleground which is no different from Afghanistan and Somalia."
Senate Whip Kanti Bello said: "This Senate should ask (Jonathan), who has deployed troops to Plateau State, to declare a state of emergency."
Marine Committee Vice Chairman, Tafidan Argungu, echoed Bello's call for a declaration of a state of emergency, but the move had no support in the Chamber.
Besides, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, faulted the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Jos, arguing that the country is not in a state of emergency.
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