Jos Crises: 62 Bodies Get Mass Burial

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Plateau, State News Saturday, January 1st, 2011

62 bodies of victims of the Christmas Eve bomb blasts in six places in Jos, the Plateau State capital, have been given a mass burial at Dong village, close to the Wildlife Park in Jos North Local Government Council.

Earlier, the Plateau State government had buried 42 bodies in the same place.

LEADERSHIP WEEKEND gathered that 21 bodies were buried yesterday: 4 bodies were brought from JUTH, 10 from the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) and 2 from the Air Force Military Hospital, while Kabong community, on their own, took possession of six corpses for traditional burial rites.

Speaking at the funeral service of the victims at St. Monica Catholic Church, Rantya, chairman of Plateau State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Philip Mwelbish Dafes said it was very disheartening that the state has suffered several attacks, stressing that there was hardly any month without the news of one form of attack or the other.

According to him, it is no longer arguable that Plateau State is under siege and there seems to be no serious attempt to properly handle the situation, pointing out that it was easier for the authorities to allow the loss of harmless and helpless citizens than to open up on perpetrators.

He lamented that “it is now a slogan for the government and security agencies to condemn an attack with a promise that the perpetrators will be fished out and that such ugly incident will not repeat itself, but these attacks have continued unabated with increasing sophistication at every onslaught.”

CAN therefore tasked security operatives to fish out fake officers doing fake assignments in the name of government, adding that there is hardly any attack in the state without the allegation that fake soldiers were involved.

According to him, “sometimes they are arrested but no news is heard about them again, while the victims are left as usual to lick their wounds.”

He appeal to the federal government to, as a matter of necessity, show commitment in managing these challenges and provide proper relief materials and compensation packages for the victims of the dastardly act, particularly in Jos and Maiduguri, stressing that if the attack in Jos is said to be politically motivated, then what motivated the attacks on Christians on the same day?

Similarly, Governor Jonah Jang, who was represented by the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon Istifanus Mwansat, noted that Jos crisis had taken a new dimension and therefore, a challenge to security operatives in the country. He called on the people to be conscious of their environment, adding that the state government would do everything possible to support the task force, with a view to bringing the perpetrators of the heinous act to face the full wrath of the law.

In the same vein, commander of the special task force, Operation Save Haven, Brig. General Hassan Umoru, in his condolence message at the funeral, regretted the ugly development, pointing out that the attack was not only on the people of Plateau State but the Nigerian Army and the entire people of the country.

According to him, criminals have continued to look for new ways to attack the people, adding that the STF and other security agencies in the state are working tirelessly to unravel the perpetrators of the crimes and will do everything possible to prevent future occurrence.

– Leadership

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