Lawmakers Want Jang To Implement Reports

Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, has been directed by the state lawmakers to implement reports of inquiries into all crises in the state for the past 16 years.

The legislators gave the directive at an emergency sitting of the House, Wednesday, over the crises that broke out in Nassarawa Gwong, a suburban town in Jos North local government area of the state, last Sunday.

Meanwhile, normalcy seems to be returning to Jos and environs, following skeletal services being rendered by some businesses, especially commercial motorists from Jos to Bukuru and other far distances beyond the state capital.

Also, government has relaxed the 24 hours curfew to 5pm – 10pm after it said it has reviewed the security situation.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the emergency sitting, Speaker Istifanus Mwansat described the violence as “unfortunate”, saying it was “one crises too many”.

He directed the governor to, “as a matter of urgency, release all previous and current reports of commissions so as to expose crises merchants in the state.”

Mwansat noted that the violence had been recurring because the “government has never punished suspects of previous crises”, while commending the federal and state governments for their quick responses in curtailing the crises.

The director of League for Human Rights , Shamki Gad Peters, in a press statement, also said the inability of the government to implement such reports has made the government too unserious, pointing out that last Sunday’s mayhem in Jos came when residents were relaxing and relating well across the divide and even as the presidential committee on the November 28, 2008 crisis has provided an opportunity for individuals and groups to make their cases.

According to him, “the killings and destruction of Sunday morning go a long way to show that there are individuals and groups that do not want peace for Plateau State and have no respect or value for human lives.”

He demanded the whereabouts of all those arrested during November 28 crisis including the 26 ‘mercenaries” arrested in Jos, which the Force Headquarters, Abuja hijacked from the Plateau State Government.

The Governor had on Wednesday evening announced the review of the curfew, which saw residents rushing out to transact business they could during the short period of day light they had.

Meanwhile, the State chapter of the Nigeria bar Association, NBA, described the violence was worrisome and “insists that government should implement all reports of panels of enquiry set up to look into disturbances in the past while efforts should be made to punish the culprits of January 2010 through the due process of the law.”