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Police restore calm in Jos after clashes

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Nigerian security personnel on Monday cordoned off a district of the city of Jos where clashes between Christians and Muslims at the weekend left 26 dead.

Police and troops were deployed on Monday and a 12-hour dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the Nassarawa Gwom district after the clashes.

Security forces searched cars and people on the streets for weapons, residents said.

"Security personnel have succeeded in quelling the unrest and restoring calm in the affected area of the city," Plateau State police spokesperson Mohammed Lerema told AFP.

On the number of casualties, a religious leader affirmed that close to 30 lives have been lost.

"We have received 16 dead bodies since yesterday. Eleven of them were buried yesterday and we are conducting a funeral for the remaining five. So far we have over 300 injured people, most of them from gun shots," the head of Jos' central mosque, Balarabe Dawud, stated.

He said the 16 bodies were recovered from the scene of Sunday's fighting in the Nassarawa Gwom area of the city, which erupted when Christians protested against the building of a mosque in the Christian-dominated district.

According to the Red Cross, over 3,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting, but declined to give any number.

"So far we are still compiling list of casualties and displaced people. Therefore, we don't have an exhaustive figure to give out," the head of the Red Cross in Jos, Awwalu Mohammed, told the AFP.

"However, from our records so far, we have over 3,000 displaced people, sheltering in mosques, churches and police barracks. We have also taken the injured to various hospitals in the city for treatment," he added.

There is no official confirmation of any death toll.

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Reader Comments (33)


Posted by CountryMan on Jan 18 2010

until the fire next time...

Posted by Elliot-New England(USA) on Jan 18 2010

So when is the next crisis?????

Posted by zukas peaceman on Jan 18 2010

may God help us in this our country Nigeria.

Posted by IHEAGWU on Jan 18 2010

ETHNIC INTOLERANCE,RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY,OUR LEADERS SIT AND WATCH/LOOT OUR TREASURY TO HIGH HEAVENS.I FEAR FOR THE DESTINY OF THIS SHAM CALLED NIGERIA.

Posted by ken on Jan 18 2010

it is unfortunate that till this day, Nigerians have not learned to live together and this shows that they probably never will. The sloution, divide the country according to ethnicity and let each one assume control of their resources, that way when you cross over, you will abide by the rules of your hosts or leave them alone.

Posted by James Mbula on Jan 18 2010

Do you think that will be the ultimate solution to this kind of ethnic cleansing that is rampaging the entire country? I hope people like you should begin to look at things from a better perspective.

Posted by Samuel on Jan 18 2010

Christian fear God we too are troublesome we should allow muslims to live peacefully. Berom or whatever you call yourself you can't do anything to these people. They fight for self defence.

Posted by Danny on Jan 18 2010

Jos again!!! Why do people go around fighting GOD'S battle?? Ignorance i think!

Posted by Rotimi on Jan 18 2010

the solution is not to divide the country, because despite what some say, the problem is not that we are too large or too diverse, but that we are too myopic and greedy to realise that a tree, no matter how large cant make a forest.

Posted by Ibifizzle on Jan 18 2010

My muslim brothers pls be careful the way you treat our christian brothers over their cause it might affect your brothers here in the southern areas. Its gettin 2 much

Posted by IG on Jan 18 2010

@Ibifizzle, did you read the report at all? It appears Muslims are the victims in this crisis. It all started because some christians are against building a mosque. And the the fact that the casualties are taken to a mosque tells you most of those killed are muslims. And you are here warning Muslims to be careful else you will take revenge on their brothers in the south. It is thinking like yours that really need to change. 234Next has done a great job in reporting this objectively, other media houses refused to say the building in question was a mosque but a house and simply followed up with a statement/warning by the Jos chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Posted by Sade on Jan 18 2010

There should be monitoring what is preached at these religious houses around the country. There should be no 'private' mosques and no 'family' churches. Also residential areas should be just that, no religious houses should be located there. The use of loudspeakers should be banished... where as all the religious noise-making landed us as a country? Lawless people, great nation!

Posted by feka paschal (zaria) on Jan 18 2010

i think all crisis in Nigeria is politically motivated, our selfish leaders allow such to happen knowingly so that they can continue to have control over us, instead of now agitating for a more democratic independence,we are now conditioned to spend more time in self-pity, mourning and sorrowing; while progress, development and equity eludes us, we should know that these crises are the handy work of our wicked leaders so as to distract us and keep us in check;the earlier we realize this the better, if we are to make any meaningful progress. One Naija 4 life! Peace.

Posted by IG on Jan 18 2010

@feka paschal, well said. Something common with almost all ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria is that they occur only during civilian administrations. This makes one to be really suspicious of our politicians.

Posted by 9ja man on Jan 18 2010

TO THY TENTS OH ISRAEL!! WE HAVE NO PORTION IN THIS CONTRAPTION CALLED NIGERIA. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO STAY TOGETHER. THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS FOR US TO GO OUR SEPERATE WAY ALONG THE LINE PROPOSED BY LATE MAJOR GIDEON ORKAR OF BLESSED MEMORY.BE REST ASSURED THAT THE ONLY THING KEEPING THIS COUNTRY AS "ONE" IS THE OIL. IF THE NORTH HAD IT, WE WOULD HAVE GONE OUR WAY.

Posted by 9ja man on Jan 18 2010

GUESS WHAT? FOR TELLING THE TRUTH THAT JOS CRISIS WAS INSTIGATED BY AN UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON CHRISTIAN WORSHIPPERS BY MOSLEM YOUTHS AT ST MICHAEL'S CHURCH NASSARAWA GWOM, THE STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN QUERIED IN ABUJA. NOW YOU KNOW WHY THE USA DID WHAT THEY DID? THE TALIBANS HAVE ARRIVED NIGERIA AND HAVE SUPPORT IN HIGH PLACES. TO THINK THAT THE RIOTERS ARE MAINLY FROM CHAD AND NIGER AND HAVE PROVEN TO BE UNTOUCHABLES. GOD HELP US ALL.

Posted by sunday on Jan 18 2010

I was born and bred in jos ,though not an indegne so it pains deeply to read or hear poeple like samuel say the huasa's are figthing for self defence,let me educate u the huasa's are still figthing the jihad that conquered them in 1804 AD.If u or any reader care to know,this are important date in the islamic conquest.Note 632 AD-YEMEN,632 AD-ETHIOPIA then ABYSSINIA The islamic army was replelld by the orthodox church backed by the portugese .A disgrace because just seventeen years earlier,Abysinia had help the persecuted muslims.633 AD- All the desert tribes of Arabia. 635 AD- The attacking islamic army burst through the Euphrates river [IRAQ]and conquered DAMASCUS,637 AD-IRAQ,The same yr IRAN[PERSIANS]638 AD-Occupation of JERUSALEM,639 AD-SYRIA,642 AD-All of EGYPT fell after some resistance in Alexandria, The great copic church was destroyed never to know strength again.I can go on and on,But if u are a church goer read the BIBLE GEN 16:12[KJV] ,But if the holy book is not good enough for u then read history[past]if that is boring then maybe current affairs will help clear ur thougths[globally]Note, the Huasa's are figthing for a land that doesn't belong to them becos thats how they got bauchi,maiduguri,nasarawa ,kano,ETC.And for IG My BIBLE tells me"HE WHO kills BY THE SWORD WILL DIE BY THE SWORD"REV 13:10.The number of casualty is a fulfillment of the BIBLE. And don't be carried away by media reports,As an eye witness we know how they vediotape corpses ,burnt houses that don't belong to them,send to MEDIA houses home and abroad just to gain support and symparty.

Posted by waziri john on Jan 18 2010

@ ig and the rest. Do we fear God or Allah (SWT)? It is quite worrisome if not laughable to hear that Alh Garba wants to built a Mosque and not a House. Enough of this media Propaganda. If you know his person, you will not associate him with any mosque. Why do people tell lies? Lies is lies and it is a sin in any religion. You can not rationalise lies and sponsored terrorism be equated with any religion. The Layas and the Gurus brandished by the Terrorist is not in any way Islamic. I know from my study of Islam that Allah (SWT) ABHORS fetishism an no true worshipper(Muslim) will engagage in them irrespective of tribe. I am very disappointed in this reporting by next. This is the worst I have read of Next. It give me great displeasure on what NEXT to expect from Next. This is not about religion, it is about telling the truth that is what true Journalism is all about.

Posted by sk on Jan 18 2010

Lets not decieve ourselve. Some poeple do not have peace in their dictionary. They believe that once the can't have it, let it burn. We musn't stay together. If anyone believes he is being shortchanged he is free to leave. No be by force to stay and claim another man's land when it is obvious you have nothing but chaos to offer.

Posted by Zakariya on Jan 18 2010

Looking forward to hear the voice of the other party. not only from the mosque leader

Posted by ABA on Jan 18 2010

This is absolute stupidity and makes you wonder whether all these so called muslims and christians even know what their religions really mean. The basic fact is all of us, christians, muslims etc are poor and living in a country which is mismanaged and now the poor are killing the poor...how absolutely ridiculous! so now everything boils down to ethnicity/religion? i expect better from us, are we that intolerant that we cannot accept someone who has a different culture and language. are we savages, that everything must be brought down to the level of primordial affiliation. and are we that hypocritical that we ask the west to tolerate blacks but we cannot tolerate ourselves. And the religious clerics, what are they there for if their job is to breed hate and misfortune? This is pathetic, if these religious people belive so much in their God's predominance then let it reveal itself, they dont have to take another man's life to prove that their religion is supreme...this makes you wonder if people think their God is cruel because only a cruel diety will condone such inhumanity

Posted by Onlooker... on Jan 19 2010

@9ja man. But you really should read and review before "spitting crap" online for all to digest. The Police commissioner is being queried because he peddled falsehood. HE LIED! It is pple like you that sow the seed of hatred amongst muslims & christians. I have cousins who lost lives and properties in that state...the story contradicts that of the Commisioner. I will not be surprised if we have a conspiracy here. The non-indigenes claimed that they have reasons to believe that the indigenes were always prepared and armed to the teeth (as if they knew the fracas was going to happen). This also happened during the last unrest. But who's investigating all these?!

Posted by Onlooker... on Jan 19 2010

...again he wasn't trying to build a mosque, it was his house. Now i understand how these stories change with time to benefit one of the two sides. Note that the story will sound different if the building is reported as a "Mosque" and not just a house. AH! Now I know...

Posted by John C on Jan 19 2010

9jaMan, do u read the news at all, pls read thoroughly before making your judgement, we are all christians, there was no such thing as attacking christians in their place of worship cos we were there, someone was re building his house and our christian boys attacked him, it is actually not religious thing but an indigenisation thing, so pls get ur facts rite.

Posted by Onlooker... on Jan 19 2010

@John C. WORD! Bro. Thanx...Dis tin no be religion...na land/settlement m/ethnic matter which now mutates into religion. It is easier to kill and destroy in the name of religion than anything else imaginable. Terrible!!! God, u dey look us so?!

Posted by Shefiu jos on Jan 19 2010

@john c. I dont know y some pple claimed 2 know d cause of d crisis dan d eye witness, plz tell them 2 investigate b4 comments. My dear muslim and christians outside there should assist us in prayer.

Posted by Shefiu jos on Jan 19 2010

May God assist us in dis country, d killing is stil hapening, d govt should plz come 2 pples aid

Posted by timetoresist on Jan 19 2010

if youths do not find something good to do they will find something bad to do. let us look towards the empowerment of our people. it is in powerlessness that we seek to negate each other.

Posted by timetoresist on Jan 19 2010

if youths do not find something good to do they will find something bad to do. let us look towards the empowerment of our people. it is in powerlessness that we seek to negate each other.

Posted by Dan Jos on Jan 21 2010

Why won't peace return in the city when those who set the are through. I hope they are through with their agenda this time around or else the state is just taking a break. Let us the break will be long enough. Comments of people like Samuel & John C shows that they are ignorant of the history of the Jos crisis. I hope those are their true names.

Posted by Davou on Feb 09 2010

My berome ppl stop it, this is ilitracy.d rich one er just using us to distroy our selves,only cristian canot survive in plateau without muslims, our leaders are just using us to damage our futures.pls an pls we should stop des,it is selfishnes an it is kilings us d beroms



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