Release International
Nigeria: Christian leaders say insurgents caused violence in Jos |
| Dec 10 2008 |
The official death toll after a weekend of violence in the Plateau State capital stands at 'about 200' – but unofficial sources suggest it could be much higher. Release sources say 13 displacement camps have been set up for 30,000 people forced to flee their homes. At least 16 churches were torched – and, according to some reports, several mosques.
Most media have portrayed the violence as the result of political rivalry between Christians and Muslims following state elections. The BBC said the violence was triggered when news broke that the Christian-backed People's Democratic Party had won most seats.
Church leaders, however, suspect the violence was pre-planned. Rioting broke out in the early hours of Friday November 28, before electoral results had even been announced. And many of the 500 people arrested after the riots were from either Niger or Chad, according to the Plateau State governor's office. Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that some of these detainees had arrived in Jos three days before the violence began.
The BBC website carries images of hundreds of bodies deposited at a central mosque – but church leaders have dismissed suggestions that Christians killed more than 300 Muslims. Engineer Salifu, general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, told Compass Direct that these were rioters shot by security forces during a night-time curfew.
Release partner Mark Lipdo, whose Stefanos Foundation is providing water and toilets in relief camps, said calm had been restored – but Christians feared further attacks by extremists from other states. Inter-communal riots in Jos in 2001 killed some 1,000 people.
(Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Compass Direct, Stefanos Foundation)
Pray that the authorities will do more to protect Jos from further insurgencies.
Pray that Christians and Muslims in Jos will commit to rebuilding the peace.
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