By Taye Obateru, Jos

Anti-bomb police officers with a recovered bomb

Just like last year when hardly a month passed without reports of killings or violence in different parts of Plateau State, 2011 is unfortunately portending to be another year of trouble. The December 24, 2010 bomb blasts in two locations appeared to have prepared the ground for subsequent violence that has become so frequent that people are hardly jolted anymore when they hear of killings or burnings in parts of the state or Jos, the state capital.

Last Sunday’s botched attempts to plant explosives in some churches in Jos underscored how precarious the situation has become and probably points to how deep-seated the animosities across ethno-religious lines had become. Two men who were carrying explosives on a motorbike lost their lives when the explosive they were moving with suddenly exploded. They were alleged to have targeted two churches in the area, one belonging to COCIN and another to ECWA both located in Nasarawa Gwom which usually have a large congregation on Sundays.

The huge bang from the explosion was said to have jolted members of the congregation of the two churches disrupting their services. The news also threw the city into panic as people, with the memory of the December bombings still fresh in their minds, scampered to their homes for fear of other bombs exploding in other parts. Angry reactions greeted the bomb attempt as irate youth attacked those perceived to be enemies in parts of the town. At the scene of the explosion at Duala junction, the bodies of the two bomb bearers were set ablaze and burnt beyond recognition. Another person suspected to be part of the plot was also attacked while a commercial motorcyclist who ran into a mob at Angwan Rukuba junction was set ablaze with his motor cycle and there were unconfirmed reports of other killings in some other areas. Several other people sustained injuries either from the blast or from the ensuing pandemonium.

Pastor of the COCIN Church which is closest to the scene of the blast, Rev Sati Adamu said the incident disrupted the church service and the other services for the day had to be cancelled. He said the blast occurred just behind the fence of the church which gave credence to suggestions that the suspects might have been trying to throw the explosive into the church compound before it exploded.

If anyone was in doubt about the motive of the bomb bearers, the foiling of another attempt to plant a bomb among cars at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles along Jengre Road off Murtala Mohammed Way at about the same time was interpreted by some residents to be a plan similar to the Christmas Eve bombings which went off almost simultaneously in two parts of the town. The person trying to plant the bomb was said to have been accosted by a member of the Church’s security team following which he dropped the bag he was holding and ran towards the road. He was given a hot chase but jumped on a waiting motorcycle and escaped. Anti-bomb policemen were later invited to evacuate the explosive.

The attempted bombings came barely two weeks after a lorry load of explosives was intercepted by men of the Special Task Force (STF) maintaining security in the state. A media officer of the STF had while briefing journalists on the development said the various explosives could be used to make hundreds of bombs and not a few people are linking the incident with the recent bombing attempts in the city.

Also interestingly, the bombing attempts came just the day after President Goodluck Jonathan in a message to the 24th Convocation of the University of Jos gave the assurance that an end would be brought to the recurring crisis in the state. In the message read by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Prof. Nicholas Damachi, the President said: “Let me warn that the present administration shall no longer fold its hands while a few disgruntled zealots wreak havoc on innocent citizens, including staff and students of this university. We are resolved to get to the root of this matter and to create an enabling environment for every Nigerian to live, work or do business in any part of the country without fear of molestation or discrimination”.

He added: “The Federal and Plateau State governments shall address the recommendations of the various investigative reports into the series of crises that have engulfed the state over the years. In the meantime, adequate security personnel have been deployed to secure the lives and property of every citizen of Plateau State as well as expatriates in the state. We have come to the end of impunity and enough is enough!”

The bombing attempts just a day after this promise made many wonder if those perpetrating violence would let up unless more stringent actions are taken. The people can only hope that the pledge by the President would be actualized soon to end the climate of fear in the state.