Committee on Jos crisis presents interim report to Jonathan

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The Presidential Committee on Jos Crisis on Thursday presented an interim report to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan with the reassurance of speedy return to peace in the troubled state of Plateau. 

This submission is reaffirmed by the statement of Jonah Jang, governor of Plateau State, that nothing can possibly stop the mutual co-existence between the native Berom and their Fulani neighbours in the state. Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the presentation of the report, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Solomon Lar, chairman of the committee, said he was positive that the content of the interim report would help resolve the ethnic crisis in Jos. 

"We have come to see him (the acting president) and report to him the progress so far made about the crisis in Jos," Lar hinted. 

He said the report of the committee would bring the needed peace, saying that "if it wouldn't there wouldn't have been any need to put the committee together. We would come out with something that will give Plateau peace and confidence".   

On the progress so far made with the report, Lar said "the progress so far made is submitted to him and we would not give it in bits but the president would let the nation know that latter after we would have concluded and completed everything". 

"Well you all know that it is interim (report) because we haven't finished. And you know during the investigation, another incident broke out that also was disturbing and embarrassing. So let us wait for the government after we might have submitted the whole report to it", he said. 

Answering reporters' questions at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, Jonah Jang, governor of Plateau State, said the state government was doing everything possible to ensure that peace returns to the state. Jang said "everything is being done to ensure that peace returns to Plateau State. We have started talking to various groups; particularly the Fulanis have been living here for so many years." 

He stated further that "we would do everything to ensure that all these outsiders that are coming in to create disharmony are dealt with. We can never wish each other away. You don't even know the difference between the Fulanis and the natives who are cattle rearers. We want peace on the Plateau, we want to live as brothers and sisters, we are Nigerians; we must be able to live together.  "I was born in a neighbourhood of the Fulanis. The neighbour of my father was a Fulani man and I grew up with his children and even went to tend his cows, and if you look at my age now, around 66, then you would understand how long the Fulanis have lived around the Berom and other indigenes of Plateau State," Jang emphasised. 

"Like I have said, when there is this type of crisis, you can never rule out these types of happenings here and there. Gradually the security agents are doing everything possible to trace this kind of situation," Jang said. 

He said "I came to brief the acting president on the latest situation and how far we have gone. I believe that with the additional forces sent in for deployment in all the various localities to ensure that lives and property are protected, as you know you can win a war but you cannot win peace, not easily".

Committee on Jos crisis presents interim report to Jonathan

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