The Commission that probed the riots that has turned the Jos area to one of the most volatile spots in Nigeria has identified former dictator, Ibrahm Babangida, as the reason why peace relocated from Plateau State. It says Babangida's creation of municipalities was not done with the people in mind.
The Justice Bola Ajibola Commission of Enquiry on sectarian strife in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State faulted the creation of the local government area by Babangida, observing that the local government election of November 27, 2008 in Plateau State was not the cause of the crisis, but only gave impetus to the Hausa/Fulani community to perpetrate mayhem since they felt that they were about to lose their primary source of economic and political dominance.
In an Executive Summary obtained by The Punch in Jos, the panel said that the local council, which was created through the States (Creation and Transition Provision Decree No 2 of 1991), was not done in consultation with the people.The panel recommended the splitting of the area into three sustainable local government administrative areas.
The commission observed that when the indigenous people rejected the creation of the local government, the then Gen Ibrahim Babangida administration did not do anything about it until the regime left office.
The commission said that the 2008 election was just an excuse by the Hausa/Fulani population to cause trouble.
It said, “Even though there is no doubt in the minds of the commission that the unrest of November 28, 2008 erupted from acts of violence initiated by Hausa/Fulani Muslims, a point corroborated by the police, nevertheless the commission felt that it ought to hear from both sides.”
It continued, “The commission restates here that despite the coincidence of time, the local government election was not the immediate cause of the unrest, but they had the subsequent effect, in that the feeling that the Hausa/Fulani lost the election and had by that token lost access to one of the major opportunities for economic dominance and advancement among their people pushed them to violence.”
The commission recommended that the creation of new local governments should be done in consultation with the people as laid down by the constitution.
It added, “The work of the commission of enquiry was to some extent limited by the deliberate non-participation of the Hausa/Fulani community, members of key organisations such as the Ullama and the Ja’amatu Nasril Islam.
“This was premised on allegations of bias levelled against the Plateau State Government and the commission. These allegations have been vehemently denied on numerous occasions by both parties on various occasions.”
It asked the state government to immediately implement the report of all commissions of enquiry on the Jos crisis and punish all indicted persons, in order to put an end to the bloody clashes in the area.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Churches Of West Africa, Tudun Wada branch has protested the death of one of its members, Mr. Dainel Garba, in Kuje prison, after he was arrested during last month’s sectarian crisis in Jos.
Garba was one of the 326 persons arrested by the police in Jos and taken to Abuja, an action which has pitted the state government against the police.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, Rev. Teneye Peter said the family would not accept any excuse on Garba’s death.
He alleged that the deceased could have died as a result of the refusal of prison authorities to allow his access to health care.
He alleged that Garba, whom he said was a 30-year old farmer from Bassa Local Government Area, was arrested alongside others on his way back from the block industry where he was working and taken straight to Abuja, in company with others for an offence he did not commit.
He said, “The family is demanding a thorough investigation into the matter and an autopsy to be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.
“We are disappointed in the police who, in their usual show of unprofessionalism, arrested innocent persons to show for their incompetence in doing their job.
“They just swooped on some persons during the crisis and took them away to Abuja. It was while at Kuje Prison that we heard of the death of our son and member, who was denied access to medical care despite all pleas to allow his doctors attend to him.
“He kept complaining but the prison authorities in their crass inhumanity would not listen to him. The police beat him and others to a pulp and that may have been responsible for his death, coupled with the lack of medical attention.
“We condemn police brutality in strongest terms and call on the Federal Government to intervene in the matter to save the lives of others who are still in detention.”
Efforts made to obtain a reaction from the spokesperson of the Nigerian Prison Service, Mr. Kayode Odeyemi, failed as calls made to his mobile phone indicated that the line had been switched off.
