Martyred In Jos, Part One

January 13, 2009

[We are motivated to share a series of reports on this Nigerian conflict for the sole purposes of informing your prayers for our Ph.D. candidates Rev. Joseph Dyaji and Rev. Philip Tachin - presently in Nigeria working toward a peaceful accord. Anything expressed and/or implied in this story is not necessarily the position of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA.  This story is used with permission obtained through Rev. Philip Tachin.] 

Nigeria: Mercenaries Were Used in Jos Crisis - CAN
by Samuel Aruwan
18 December 2008

Kaduna — The 19 northern states and the FCT Abuja chapters of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has alleged that hired terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons were used to unleash terror on innocent people during the recent crisis that engulfed Jos, the capital of Plateau state.

In a communiqué signed by Archbishop Peter Jatau and Elder Saidu Dogo, Chairman and Secretary respectively, at the end of its executive council meeting in Kaduna yesterday, they said,"CAN Northern states is further shocked beyond comprehension, following its findings that most of the killings were carried out by hired terrorists who operated in police and military uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons. Our findings also showed that over 500 of these terrorists are in various police detention cells in the state for their connection with the crisis. We further discovered that many of these terrorists are non- Nigerians".

The body also condemned the transfer of a Christian Commissioner of Police from Plateau State and the appointment of a Muslim Commissioner of Police, leaving the Muslim SSS Director and the appointment of a Muslim Military Intelligence Officer to investigate the Jos crisis, adding that "We are equally shocked that the killings and wanton destruction of property were carried out spontaneously in different places. This is an indication that the riot was premeditated and pre-planned and that the perpetrators just hid under the guise of Local Government election to execute their long- term plan.

They expressed dismay that the security agents failed to report to the appropriate authorities, which they alleged was because of religious bias.

Expressing its disappointment with the media particularly in the northern region, and her call for the setting up of a high- powered judicial commission, the group said; "CAN further observes with regret that some Northern- based media and commissioned writers instead of promoting peaceful co-existence have joined forces with some foreign media in their reporting of the crisis.
 
"In view of this, CAN Northern states and Abuja call on the Plateau State Government to set up a high- power judicial commission of inquiry to unearth why the crisis in Plateau has become a re-current decimal? Who are the sponsors of these non- Nigerian terrorists? Who supplied them with police and military uniforms and who were those behind the supply of sophisticated weapons that were used during the crisis?"

They described as callous and malicious, the call for the resignation of the Plateau state governor or a declaration of state of emergency on the Plateau, and called on the Federal Government to employ its diplomatic means to find out whether the governments of neighbouring countries were privy to the importation of their nationals to be used as terrorists in Nigeria.