THE Nigerian military has taken full charge of security in Jos, Plateau State, following the order by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Briefing the Media in his office, the General Officer Commanding, 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Major General Saleh Maina ordered that the Police should vacate the street and that any policeman that must be on the street during the curfew hour must obtain a pass from the State Commissioner of Police to that effect.
He said the 5pm to 10am curfew would be observed strictly, warning that any resident with any form of weapon must surrender them to the military, as failure would spell danger to such individual.
Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has described the crisis that rocked Jos on Sunday afternoon as most regrettable, adding that it is coming at a time “when we have all worked very hard to restore normalcy and peace after the 2008 crisis.”
This is even as the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) has decried the gruesome killing of its members and wanton destruction of its properties including churches.
The Governor, who disclosed this at a meeting with the State Traditional Council, heads of religious organisations and State Inter-religious Council on Peace and Harmony at the Government House added that “our effort have been made manifest through communal harmony, religious tolerance and maintaining security personnel on our streets in addition with continuous dialogue with stakeholders so as to consolidate peace and security in the state,” but wondered what suddenly went wrong on that fateful Sunday morning.
He noted that “unfortunately such conflict resolutions mechanisms were completely ignored as people took the law into their hands resulting in man’s inhumanity to man.”
Commending community and inter-religious leaders that were able to avert the spread of the crisis to their areas, Jang expressed concern over rumour mongering, especially through GSM phones that is capable of creating ill feelings among residents. He advised all that are engaged in such to desist in the interest of peace.
Present at the meeting were Jamatu Nasiru Islam (JNI), President of Plateau State Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Istifanus Mwansat and the Emir of Wase, Alhaji Abdullahi Wase, among others.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing addressed by the ECWA President, Reverend Anthony Farinto, the church said: “As a church denomination, we have suffered heavy human and material loses which are still being compiled. At this point we can for certain state that four of our churches in Jos and Bukuru have been destroyed.”
ECWA also condemned the call for a State of Emergency by some members of the National Assembly, describing it as an open demonstration of the high places to continue to cause unrest in the state.
“Many violent conflicts have occurred in other northern states like Kano, Bauchi, Borno etc without the mention of emergency rule as an option to solve the problem there. Why is that of Plateau State being isolated by some Senators?” they queried.
Meanwhile, activities have begun to pick up in Jos as more military personnel have been deployed to the city.