Jonathan Set to Tackle Jos Crisis

Speaking about the lingering crisis in Jos on Monday during the Presidential Media Chat, President Goodluck Jonathan said the crisis was essentially a sectarian one that is continuously being fanned by religious sentiments and that efforts are in top gear to address it once and for all. 

He rejected calls for the proclamation of state of emergency in the state, saying that is not the solution. In his words: “The crisis in Jos is over eleven years. The Plateau issue is not caused by religion, but religion is the fire that increases the problem. We are working on how to end it. During the time of President Olusegun Obasanjo, a state of emergency was declared, but it did not solve the problem. For there to be peace in Jos, the people must agree that they want peace.” 

He has however given the Chief of Defence Staff, Oluseyi Petirin, a matching order to move into the state and tackle the crisis headlong, with a view to bringing it to an end.