[allAfrica.com] [Africa_2004] Genesis of a Crisis This Day (Lagos) NEWS May 19, 2004 Posted to the web May 19, 2004 By Funmi Peter-Omale Jos What has been happening in Plateau State in the last four months has its root in the ethno-religious carnage that swept through the state in September 2001. Over thousands were said to have been killed during the one week mayhem. Even before the outbreak of violence that year, there had long been mutual suspicion between Hausa/Fulani, generally seen as settlers and indigenous people. But the immediate cause of the 2001 carnage was a slight misunderstanding between a Christian lady who was passing near a mosque in Eto-Baba, a Jos suburb during Jummat prayers that fateful day. The lady was beaten up by some people. On hearing the news her people mobilised and went to the site on a revenge mission. The ensuing skirmish turned into war. In fact by 3.00p.m that Friday, September 7, 2001, Jos town was already up in flames. The clouds were thick with smoke and the ground was flowing with peoples' blood. What became clear later was that miscreants used the opportunity to unleash terror just as many other decided to settle scores with their enemies. From a small mosque in Eto-Baba the crisis spread to other parts of Jos where Muslims were killing Christians while Christians were also shedding Muslim blood. However, the war was mainly between the Hausa/Fulani settlers and their indigenous hosts. The hatred between them was deep-seated. Other nationalities like the Yoruba, Igbo suffered one loss or the other. Though normalcy returned after about a month, the mayhem had left a deep gulf of mistrust. After the Jos crisis, there were others in other local government areas in quick succession. Hundreds of lives were also lost. No area was spared especially in the Northern part of the state. This was to the extent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward primaries turned into a major crisis which also left people dead early in 2002. Besides the animosity between the indigenes and the Hausa/Fulani people, there was also a political twist to some of the crises in the state. Some elements in the PDP decamped to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD). This development further compounded the problems on ground because the ANPP now became a "Muslim" party while AD was in the middle. The stage became set for a stiff competition between PDP and ANPP in the state. Between 2002 and April 2003, several lives were lost to the rivalry between the two parties and their die-hard supporters. The crisis in the Southern part of Plateau started sometime in 2002 in Kadarko Langtang local government, with accusations and counter accusations of cow theft between the indigenous people and Fulani herdsmen. Before it could spread, the problem was nipped in the bud. However, the respite was not to last because from Langtang North, the onslaught spread to other areas like Kanam, Kanke, Langtang South, Wase, Mikang, and finally Shendam. In the last one and half years, Plateau South senatorial zone has not known peace. Thousands of lives have been lost on both sides, economic losses have been suffered on both sides and yet the crises did not abate. Each time the Fulani herdsmen accuse the indigenous people of stealing their cows, they would mobilise co-herdsmen from other areas and attack whichever village was suspected of carrying out the theft. The villagers attacked would also enlist the support of their kiths and kins to carry out reprisal attack. There were allegations that Hausa/Fulani herdsmen even enlisted mercenaries and insurgents from other states and neighbouring countries to fight the indigenous people. Consequently, that part of the state became what has been aptly tagged "a theatre of bloodshed." Between January 2004 and now, thousands of people have lost their lives and about 200,000 people displaced. About 28 villages have been completely overrun even as properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed. A visit to the affected areas show that the people carrying out the attacks have no respect for lives and human dignity. In February, police sources confirmed 117 casualties for the first two weeks. The casualties included three mobile policemen, one regular policeman and a soldier. The death toll for March was so high, authorities were not willing to make it public. Unconfirmed sources put the toll well over 200. For April, no official figures were also released but dozens were reportedly killed. Uptill date, several people are still missing while hundreds of seriously injured people are recuperating in hospitals in Bauchi, Nasarawa and Benue States. The attack of May 9 in Yelwa-Shendam was unprecedented in planning and execution. It was particularly more pathetic because security agents were allegedly withdrawn earlier that day. So the attackers had a field day, killing, maiming and touching everything in sight. The onslaught lasted till the wee hours of the following day. At the end, not less than 350 people were believed killed. The state police command, however, confirmed 67 casualties. Thousands of people, mostly Hausa/ Fulani were displaced. On May 6, there was an attack in Kawo where suspected Fulani insurgents allegedly slaughtered 12 people. In March, 47 people were allegedly overrun in COCIN church, Yelwa and were brutally killed and set ablaze. THISDAY gathered that the May 9 attack was a reprisal for the Kawo and COCIN attacks. The attackers were well prepared, well armed and operated commando style with sophisticated weapons. They devised guerilla means of beating security checks by attacking and retreating only to attack other areas not manned by security. Casualty figure was probably higher because security reinforcement could not immediately make an in-road. By the time they did on Tuesday afternoon, dead mutilated bodies littered the whole area. For fear of another attack, the people fled and some displaced persons are camped in Bauchi and Nasarawa states. Unfavourable security reports may have prompted President Olusegun Obasanjo's visit to these areas last week. He was around to see things for himself, get first hand information and make up his mind on what to do. First hand information he did get because in Bauchi camp for displaced persons, the refugees informed of how poorly Dariye has been handling the security situation and why they will not return to Plateau. Earlier in Jos, an infuriated Obasanjo had berated clerics, especially the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman in the state, Rev. Yakubu Pam, for not doing enough in protecting lives and properties. The reasons adduced for the inability of the crises to abate have been the failure of government to release the white papers on previous crises as well as bring the perpetrators to book. Dariye last week had announced he would soon release the white papers to the public since that's what everybody is clamouring for. He explained that it had taken this long because he was being careful. For now, people have received the news of the state of emergency and suspension of Dariye with calm. Though there were jubiliations in some quarters, there was a general indifference as nobody was sure of what it really portends for Plateau, the "Home of Peace and Unity?"   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2004 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================