From Bayo Alabira, Jos
The former Governor of Plateau state, Sir Fidelis Tapgun, has said the current problem in Jos, the Plateau state capital, can only be solved through equity, fairness and honesty.
According to him, “fairness and honesty have to be allowed in the political system to avoid anybody been marginalised or maligned to a point that people will become frightened and resort to taking arms against one another.”
The former Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya told journalists in Jos at the weekend that the crises in the state were purely political, arguing that because the crises often begin on Sunday or Friday does not make it religious.
He said the whole thing was a function political deprivations which fuel the sentiments and grievances that explode into sectarian violence.
Lamenting that in a situation where certain persons are denied certain positions and even franchise, while certain people are imposed on the electorate while elections are manipulated and to produce false and predetermined outcome is definitely bound to generate resistance and violence across the state.”
He blamed the January, 2010, Jos crisis on security lapses, saying, "the security arms failed in their routine surveillance and briefing of the chief security officer of the state, or the governor ignored security reports and failed to act dutifully and timely to avert the breakdown of law and order".
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