Jos Crisis: The Re-Opening Of Old Wounds...

It is very sad that news about Jos in recent times continue to focus more on the violence manifested in the sporadic attacks on innocent people, deaths and negative religious propaganda". This summation by the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, in  reaction to the fresh violence in the Plateau State capital, captures it all.

A state once described variously as "Plateau the Beautiful", "Home of Peace and Tourism" and "Europe of Nigeria" has become more synonymous  with  violence and killing in the past 10 years. From September 7, 2001 to date, it has been from one violence to another   in different parts of the state.

Rather than improve, the situation is deteriorating such that three months of no violence is celebrated as a return of relative peace. Headlines in newspapers and magazines now carry "again" boldly to signify that violence in Plateau  has become a recurring decimal. Like Bob Marley of blessed memory sang, many are asking, "When will it end?"

The fresh outbreak of violence on Monday during the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitri marking the end of the 30 days fast by adherents of Islam has re-opened old wounds and is almost making a mockery of the semblance of peace that was witnessed in the state for some months. The animosity generated by the Christmas Eve bombings in two Christian dominated.


Source: Vanguard