Posted by By PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi on
Nigeria's former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd) has called for calm and an end to the spate of killings, which engulfed parts of Jos, the Plateau State capital last Thursday.
Nigeria's former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd) has called for calm and an end to the spate of killings, which engulfed parts of Jos, the Plateau State capital last Thursday.
Two days of sectarian clashes around the Anguwan Rukuba, Anguwan Rogo, Naraguta, Congo-Russia Rikkos, UNIJOS areas in the Jos Metropolis over protest of the council polls in the state left hundreds of people dead with figures ranging from 300 to 500 being quoted by residents who spoke to Daily Sun.
During a visit to the affected areas Daily Sun was told that dead bodies were being piled up in mosques, churches and mortuaries as many residents have been forced to seek refuge in nearby police and army barracks.
Reacting, the state governor, Jonah Jang imposed a 24-hour curfew in Jos North, the affected area.
However, the state government announced on Sunday that the crisis claimed 200 lives. Speaking with newsmen in Jos on the situation, Gowon described it as unfortunate lamenting that it was sad that what was supposed to be a purely political matter had assumed a religious dimension and urged Nigerians to practice the tenets of their religions.
"Why are the churches being destroyed? What have they got to do with elections; what has election results got to do with the way churches were being burnt? I also heard that some mosques were being burnt and I ask, has it turned into a religious misunderstanding or fight?
"It's unfortunate and I appeal to all Nigerians to show absolute restraint, love and respect for each other. Do not allow politics to destroy your religion. Let the good of your religion be the one that will influence your politics for good," he charged.
Former PDP National Chairman and governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar has joined eminent Nigerians who condemned the mayhem, describing it as sad.
Lar who also spoke to newsmen on Sunday in Jos said it was a big challenge and urged citizens to cooperate with security men to restore normalcy.
The elder statesman who expressed sympathy with victims urged the authorities concern to get to the root of it for a lasting solution.
In a similar vein, the Christian Association of Nigerian, (CAN), has called on Christians to be calm and law-abiding in the face of the current crisis. According to the state CAN chairman, Most Reverend Ignatius Kaigama, the attacks were premeditated.
He called on government to fish out the perpetrators of the clashes for punishment.
Meanwhile, there was relative calm in the troubled areas following the arrival of more military men from neighbouring states who mounted road blocks at strategic points.
The Chief of Army Staff, General Abdulrahaman Dambazzau who was also in the state on Sunday to assess the security situation later met with Governor Jang where they both discussed the crisis and efforts being made to curtail it.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Nuhu Gagara disclosed that a search and rescue committee has been set up to locate victims and provide relief to displaced persons.
Gagara assured that the state government would spare no effort in ensuring that the situation was brought under control disclosing that more mercenaries allegedly imported from other states were being arrested.
According to him, 17 of such mercenaries who claimed to have been recruited were discovered in a house around Miango Road on Sunday were being interrogated. He condemned what he called deliberate distortion of facts by a section of the media.
He warned those he accused of deliberately orchestrating the crisis to warrant the imposition of another state of emergency that they would fail and thanked President Umar Yar'Adua for his interest and support towards arresting the situation.