Over 7,000 Lives Lost In Jos Crises – Plateau Peace Agency Reveal

A Plateau State organisation has revealed the shocking number of casualities which came about as a result of the crisis in Jos.

The Director General, Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Joseph Lengman has said modest estimate puts the figure of those killed in crises in Jos in a little more than the last 10 years as slightly above 7,000.

Lengman said in his opening remark at the 2017 conference of the Christian Council of Nigeria in Jos, “Beside the massive internal displacement of people and the immeasurable destruction of infrastructure, livelihoods, homes and schools, findings of several studies indicate increased levels of fear, anxiety, depression, mutual suspicion, intolerance and insecurity among those who have witnessed or were directly affected by violence and terrorist attacks in the past.”

He said while the state celebrates the return of relative peace in the last two years, the recent episodes of violence in Bassa and Jos north “are but a stark reminder of the fragile nature of our transition from war to peace.”

The DG stated that the reality suggested that the risk of returning to violence in the state remained very high and stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue as a mechanism for conflict prevention and peace building.