Corpses on ground in Jos, March 8, 2010. Photo CSW Nigeria

Nigerian police revises Jos violence toll to 109 people

The Nigerian Police in northern Plateau State has said 109 people were killed in the violence in the early hours of Sunday morning (March 7, 2010), reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

Local officials and residents had previously said that over 500 people, mostly women and children were killed during the violence on Sunday.

Ikechukwu Aduba, state commissioner of police spokesman, disclosed this at a news conference in Jos on Wednesday.

The clash followed the crisis on Jan. 17 in Jos in Plateau State, when some youths attacked worshippers at St. Michael's Anglican Church in Nasawara Gwom.

According to the UK-based Christian human rights group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Nigerian youths in Bukuru and Barkin Ladi have been holding protests following the massacre of Christians in Zot, Dogo Nahauwa and Rastat villages, Jos South, by armed Fulani Muslims in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Entire families are reported to have been murdered, despite a heavy security presence, although the final death toll is still to be confirmed due to corpses being uncovered in bushes,” a CSW spokesperson told ANS.

CSW says that survivors of the massacre have stated that armed men arrived at around three o’clock on Sunday morning, and woke the villagers simultaneously with gun fire and shouting, before setting homes on fire and attacking men, women and children with knives.

Most died from machete wounds and many bodies were decapitated. In one location CSW Nigeria staff counted the corpses of four babies; 28 children under five, 19 over five, 21 women and 15 men. The bodies of babies had also been set on fire.

Helen Bako, a Southern California based social worker who originally comes from the Jos area, told ANS, “We are very troubled about the happenings in Jos and its surrounding villages and are very concerned for the safety for some our family members who are left back in Tudun wadan Toro, my father's village, which is only 25 kilometers (15.53 miles) away from the city of Jos.

"We have received word that there has been an influx of the Moslem refugees from the city of Jos into the village. What has also been disturbing for us is that my cousin, who is currently watching my father's house and his properties, was informed by the local chief that the government is taking over my father's property to give to the refugees.

Strategy to move Christians out of the area

“We are not concerned as such about the take over of the property; our greatest concern is that dad's land is next to the local ECWA church (The Evangelical Church of West Africa). We see this as a strategy by the chief to move out the few Christians in the area. We are told that the village is very tense with the refugees coming from Jos because they are already upset because of what had happened.

“We need prayer very seriously in our country. If you remember, a while back Al-Qaeda warned that they were going to send help to their Moslem brothers in Nigeria.”

Bako went on to say, “There have been big controversies centered on the return of the Nigerian head of state which was done in secret. Rumor has it that the Nigerian security men were moved out of the way at the airport when two big planes landed in Nigeria. The timing of the arrival of these planes is very suspicious.

“They arrived at 2:00 AM, when most Nigerians were sleeping. It is speculated that a big ambulance arrived to carry the president whom no one has laid eyes upon to this day. It is interesting that after the arrival of these planes that the violence in Jos suddenly broke out.”

Ms. Bako told ANS that some of these men warned the villagers before they attacked them.

“Even though security forces were alerted about the impending attack, no security measures were put in place,” she added. “When complaints were expressed about the lack of security, many families welcomed what they thought were security men dressed in Nigerian military uniform. Those supposed that these military men, who posed as peacekeepers, ended up killing hundreds of people. Something is fishy. I guess Al-Qaeda has kept to its promise!”

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TAGS: Nigeria Nigerian Police Jos violence persecution Christian Solidarity Worldwide

[03/11/2010]

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