Nigerian Leaders Seek Solution for Religious Violence

From right: Former Plateau State Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye discussing with NIREC Co-chairmen, President Christian Association of Nigeria, ArchBishop John Onaiyekan and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III at the opening of the consultative meeting between the Federal Government, National Inter-religious Council and Plateau Leaders on the recent sectarian crisis in Jos at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja. (Photo: The Vanguard)

Political and organizational leaders from Nigeria gathered in a Abuja on Monday in an effort to find a solution for the continuing violence between Christians and Muslims in the city of Jos.

Declaring that "enough is enough," Vice President Goodluck Jonathan told the gathering that the level of violence in the region is "embarrassing," and said that the situation must not be allowed to degenerate to that of the Niger Delta.

"Plateau as a Middle Belt state has served as a link between the North and the South, the Christians and the Muslims. Although there were minor social conflicts even in the time past, what we are witnessing recently is quite embarrassing and we all will collectively see how we can bring this to an end," Jonathan said.

"What we have witnessed in 2008 and what has just happened last month, we will all collectively today resolve to make sure that they don't happen again, because the world is not just waiting for any sector or any part of the country."

Leaders attending the meeting included Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen; former Governor Joshua Dariye; National Security Adviser Sarki Muktar; and Governor Jonah Jang, who noted the use of inflammatory statements by Nigerian officials as a serious problem.

"One of the major problems we have as a nation is the fact that our leaders are not patient to wait and hear two sides of a story before they make statements that will either help solve the problem or help to inflame the problem itself," Jang said.

"Our press thinks the way to do journalism is to bastardise the whole country in the face of the whole world, calling leaders by all sorts of names, facts that they have not investigated," he added.

In addressing the root of the Jos violence, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President John Onaiyekan and the Sultan of Sokoto Sa'adu Abubakar rejected claims that religion was the cause.

"The killing of innocent human beings is not part of Christianity or Islam. Much of the talk about religion is misuse and abuse of religion," Onaiyekan said, according to local sources.

"I refuse to accept that it is a religious problem," Abubakar said, adding that notions of a Jihad against Christians in the region were baseless.

A special 15-member committee was established at the end of the meeting with officials Solomon Lar and Yahaya Kwande elected as Chairman and Co-chairman, respectively. The group will be responsible for monitoring the situation in Jos and implementing collective solutions.

Meanwhile, security remains tight in the city, with Air Force and Naval officers posted at checkpoints and monitoring the streets.

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