EMERGENCY PRAYER AND FASTING FOR THE CITY OF JOS

In recent weeks, the city of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria has experienced a dramatic
upsurge in seemingly un-ending sectarian violence.
Scripture encourages us to don our spiritual armour, “for our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6)
This is why CSW is calling for a day of prayer and fasting for Jos on Thursday, 22
November. Please stand with everyone in the CSW family as we ask for peace in Jos.
J
os in Plateau State saw a worrying upsurge in violence after fighting erupted on Monday 29 August at a
previously abandoned Muslim prayer ground.
Violence continued throughout that week, with an unknown number of lives lost. The injured included
four soldiers, who according to the spokesperson of the Special Task Force (STF), required medical
attention. However, once again there were indications of the military fracturing on religious lines.
According to eyewitnesses, two non-Muslim youths were killed and a mobile policeman was injured
after heavy fighting broke out between soldiers and youths in the Dogon Karfe area, where non-Muslim
passers-by were attacked by Hausa security personnel. Two days earlier a family driving along the
Bauchi Ring Road was allegedly stopped at a checkpoint and asked whether or not they were Christians.
After affirming that they were, the family was allowed to pass, but a soldier reportedly opened fire on
the vehicle as it drove off, injuring one passenger in the eye.
The community of Rigip near Abattoir/Dogon Karfe recently expressed fears of imminent military
retaliation after being wrongly accused of shooting soldier. However, reports are now circulating that
some military personnel may in fact have been shot by fellow soldiers angered by their displays of
religious bias. Men in military uniform were spotted by survivors at the scene of at least one attack.
Night time raids on villages by armed Fulanis also resumed, and, Plateau State is once again the scene of
indiscriminate and brutal attacks on men, women and children, particularly of the Berom ethnicity, that
occur late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
The new particularly disturbing factor of the attacks on villages that began in 2010 is that they are
primarily targeting the Berom ethnic group and involve the annihilation of entire families, including
women and children. One local source lamented, “This is jihad and genocide. We want the international
community to intervene. What shall we do?”
Please pray
- For comfort for victims and healing for the injured
- For protection for remote and vulnerable communities

ESCALTION OF VIOLENCE
Tensions began to rise in Jos as the end of Ramadan approached and
news emerged of plans to make use of the prayer ground, which had
long been in disuse. As rumours spread that Boko Haram members
would be present at the prayer service in Rukuba Road, where several
people had died during the 2010 Christmas Eve bombings, angry non-
Muslim youths vowed to disrupt the service in retaliation for the
disruption of Christmas.
In an effort to avert potential violence, the State Security Services (SSS)
vetoed use of the prayer ground, and recommended use of an
alternative location. However, the Izala sect led by Sheikh Yahya Jingir,
ignored the security directive and descended on the area heavily armed
and with a military escort. As anticipated heavy fighting broke out,
properties and vehicles were destroyed, including the Christ Apostolic
Church in Sarkin Mangu, and at least sixteen people were killed,
including a pastor, who was mutilated and burnt.
Please pray
- For an end to the violence, and against the cycle of retaliation.
- That those sponsoring or perpetrating violence are brought to justice.
- For the emergence of effective peace initiatives and genuine peacemakers.
PRAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT
Following the latest bombings President Goodluck Jonathan placed the
Chief of Defence Staff in charge of security in Plateau State and ordered
the military to “take all necessary measures” to end the violence.
However, given the repeated reports from eyewitnesses of military
complicity in much of the violence, this move has been described as
effectively allowing “foxes to have free rein of a chicken coop”. A similar
move in 2008 was ineffective. Having essentially given up all hope of
effective and unbiased security arrangements, local Christians are
depending on Divine intervention for a solution to what now seems to
be intractable violence.
Please pray
- That the military remains professional and impartial, and biased
elements are weeded out.
- That both federal and local authorities would move boldly and
decisively to bring about justice for victims, peace and reconciliation.
- For effective Government strategy to deal with the problem posed by
radical Islamist group Boko Haram.
Log on to www.csw.org.uk/nigeria to watch the latest update video.


At least 50 people have been killed
in the recent violence, including
women, babies and entire families.
Saturday 3 September
Heipang: Eight members of same family
hacked to death in attack, including a
four-month-old baby.
Kuru: Three murdered during a raid.
Sunday 4 September
Babale: Twelve people killed and three
injured in raid
Dabwak: Four died during a raid.
Thursday 8 September
Foron: Nine people died in an attack
Barkin Ladi: Fatalities in Kuzen village in
the Gashes District. According to local
reports, the victims included an infant,
who had been disembowelled by the
attackers.
Monday 10 September
Vwang –Kogot: Fourteen members of
the same family died in an attack, the
assailants were allegedly aided by men in
uniform.
The victims were Mr Dauda Badung, his
heavily pregnant wife, their five children,
two grand-children, and five members of
Mr. Bandung’s brother’s family. Two
others, one of them a four-year-old,
survived the onslaught, and are currently
hospitalized with gunshot and machete
wounds.
Tuesday 11 September
West of Mines area: Two bomb blasts
at a popular venue. One person injured
but, thankfully, no deaths.
However, in an event guaranteed to
further exacerbate the already fraughtrelations
between the non-Muslims of Jos
and the army, as youths poured out onto
the streets to express their anger at the
blast, “heavy shooting” was reported on
the part of the military.