January 18, 2010
Amidst conflicting reports on who or what actually started the latest round of bloodletting in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria, Saharareporters has learnt that the crisis has escalated beyond control and is fast spreading to other areas of the state. An eyewitness report told Saharareporters by e-mail today that the crisis reignited when one Mallam Kabiru Muhammad, whose house was burnt at the beginning of the latest fighting but also destroyed during last year's crisis of November 28 and 29th 2009, went with some bricklayers to rebuild his house. The Christians in the area allegedly stopped him from realizing his plans, telling him no non-indigene would be lowed to renovate his house in the area anymore.
Although there no confirmation about exactly who started the physical attacks, our source claims the Christians were responsible, leading the Muslims, who had stockpiled weapons to begin a reprisal attack.
Over 200 persons have died in the latest crisis, which has so far defied a 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government. The federal government is unable to intervene decisively as the Commander-in-Chief, Umaru Yar'Adua, who is currently hospitalized in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has not handed power over to his deputy 57 days after he departed Nigeria. No one has seen Mr. Yar'Adua since he left Nigeria on November 23rd 2009.
About 50,000 Jos residents are already reported to have been displaced in the latest fighting, and youths from both sides are chanting war songs in a killing spree!
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