Posted by By Jude Owuamanam, Segun Olatunji and Femi Makinde on
Chairman of the Igbo Political Forum, Chief Chidi Ndu, has said that about 150 persons of Igbo extraction died in the recent three-day Jos mayhem.
Chairman of the Igbo Political Forum, Chief Chidi Ndu, has said that about 150 persons of Igbo extraction died in the recent three-day Jos mayhem.
He also said that the Igbo community in Jos lost property worth over N50bn in the crisis.
Ndu told our correspondent in an interview in Jos on Thursday that many buildings belonging to members of the community were razed, shops looted and burnt, stressing that the Igbo were always targets of attack in any upheaval in the state.
He said that most of the houses destroyed were located on Osuimenyi Street, Ali Kazaure, Angwan Rimi and Shagari Corner along Katako Junction.
Ndu alleged that most of the Igbo were allegedly killed at Nasarawa, Tudun Wada, Rikkos, Apata and Katako Junction.
The chairman said that shops belonging to Ndigbo were either razed completely or looted at Dilimi, Ferin Gada auto spare parts market, Katako timber market, Gada Biu and Zaria Road.
He alleged that a good number of vehicles burnt at all the car marts on Zaria Road belonged to the Igbo.
'We have had to suffer each time a crisis of this type occurs in Jos. And this is the fourth time. We have lost property and many of our members have either lost their lives or their means of livelihood,' he said.
Ndu's views were corroborated by the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Izu Umunna Cultural Association.
The Chairman of the IUCA Investigation and Documentation Committee on the November 28 mayhem, Mr, Tony Egwuonwu, said in a statement that since 1994, Ndigbo had suffered terribly in all the crises in the state.
In another development, policemen in Kaduna have arrested two persons, including an Islamic preacher, for allegedly distributing inciting recorded cassettes, urging Muslims to revenge the alleged killing of their brothers during the Jos crisis.
Police sources said that the suspects were arrested at the Kabala Doki area of the Kaduna metropolis.
The police were said to have discovered the tapes in the shop of one of the suspects at Kabala Doki.
Meanwhile, governors and traditional rulers from the South West states on Thursday, condemned the Jos killings.
The governors and the monarchs said this in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held at the Government House, Akure in Ondo State.
To forestall a future reoccurrence of such colossal waste of lives and property, they all called on the Federal Government to ensure adequate provision of security in areas prone to such crises.