[b]A new revelation has been made on the protracted crisis in Jos, Plateau State, which has claimed hundreds of lives in the last three years.

WikiLeaks, the controversial online whistleblower, has fingered Governor Jonah Jang for being largely responsible for the mayhem.

The revelation was contained in one of the cables, which originated from the Embassy of the United States (U.S.) in Abuja in December 2008, and formed part of the 251,287 such confidential communications from 1966 to February 2010 between 274 American Embassies across the world which WikiLeaks began leaking via its website in November, 2010.

In the said secret cable, created on December 19, 2008, American embassy officials quoted State Security Service (SSS) operatives as blaming the stubbornness of Jang to go ahead with the conduct of the local government election against security advice for the crisis which has now refused to go away.

The release debunked claims by Jang and his then deputy, Mrs. Paulen Tallen, that armed men from Niger and Chad, either brought in by opposition parties or motivated by their own extremist views, had played a significant part in the November 27-28 Jos riots, rather it noted that the governor's claims was an  attempt to divert blame from himself, noting that he had been warned that the local government elections he was pushing to hold would likely spark violence.

“In response to Jang's allegations, the SSS officers commented that both sides in Jos bore part of the blame for touching off the riots. Both had seen the local government elections as the likely spark to re-ignite the conflict experienced in 2001 and 2004; both had been preparing for trouble for some time and, according to SSS, both bore a share of the blame for what followed.

“SSS also singled out Jang for criticism, noting that he had been warned by federal authorities that pushing ahead with the elections would likely lead to violence, but he insisted on proceeding anyway.

“They dismissed the bulk of his allegations as an attempt to find a "foreign devil" to use to divert criticism from his own mistakes,” the report said.

It reads in part: “On the allegations by the Governor and Deputy Governor of Plateau State that armed men from Niger and Chad, either brought in by opposition parties or motivated by their own extremist views, had played a significant part in the November 27-28 Jos riots, at the Ambassador's direction, Embassy offices checked with Nigerian State Security Service (SSS) to see if it could confirm or deny these allegations.”

“SSS noted that, while some Chadians and Nigerians were among those arrested during the riots, these were not brought in by Muslim extremist groups, nor were they affiliates of foreign extremists. They were, instead, long-resident laborers who participated in the conflict once it started. SSS did note that there was local premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth to either instigate or participate in violent acts connected to the Jos election.

“SSS contacts dismissed the Governor's claims as an attempt to divert blame from himself, noting that he had been warned that the local government elections he was pushing to hold would likely spark violence.”

Also writing on Tallen, the group noted in the report: “Plateau State Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen told the Ambassador December 2 that the riots in Jos were "a carefully devised plan" by Muslims from Chad and Niger to use local elections as the cover for violent attacks.

“In a later conversation the same day, Plateau Governor Jonah Jang told the Ambassador a slightly different story, blaming a Nigerian opposition political party for importing the armed men from Niger and Chad, as essentially mercenaries to fight against local people.

“Jang went further in a December 4 conversation with the Ambassador, claiming that the opposition party (presumably the ANPP, which is supported by most of the Hausa Muslims in Jos) brought in fighters from Niger and Chad, as well as from other parts of Nigeria, to attack the local Christian community.

“He described these men as "al Qaeda-like" outside extremists, and claimed that the SSS was holding a large group of these outsiders. He said SSS had extracted confessions from them that they had travelled to Jos for the purpose of causing violence during the elections.

“The Ambassador directed, given past intel reports of Chadians and Nigerians being connected to a Nigerian Islamic extremist leader in Borno State, Embassy offices to contact SSS to see if it would back up Jang's and Tallen's allegations.

“SSS officers acknowledged that there were some Nigeriens and Chadians among those being held in connection with the Jos violence. They strongly rejected, however, the Governor and Deputy Governor's claims that they had either started or directed the violence, or that any of them had connections to any known Islamic radical groups. The SSS officers characterised the arrested Nigeriens and Chadians as long-time residents of the Jos area who happened to participate in the violence once it started; there was no evidence that their participation was part of an organised extremist effort.

“There was some evidence of a few outside radicals from other parts of Nigeria joining in the conflict once it started, but SSS said they did not play any significant part in what happened, either. In addition, SSS reported that there was some premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth groups to instigate or participate in violence connected with the Jos election.

“In response to Jang's allegations, the SSS officers commented that both sides in Jos bore part of the blame for touching off the riots. Both had seen the local government elections as the likely spark to re-ignite the conflict experienced in 2001 and 2004; both had been preparing for trouble for some time and, according to SSS, both bore a  share of the blame for what followed.

“SSS also singled out Jang for criticism, noting that he had been warned by Federal authorities that pushing ahead with the elections would likely lead to violence, but he insisted on proceeding anyway.

“They dismissed the bulk of his allegations as an attempt to find a "foreign devil" to use to divert criticism from his own mistakes. (Compass News)

http://www.transparencyng.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5257:wikileaks-governor-jang-largely-responsible-for-jos-crisis&catid=235:wikileaks-on-nigeria&Itemid=170


Please What's your view??

Why should we believe the word of the SSS over Jang?

I have written times without number that peace can only return to Jos if Jang is tried and hanged.No other option.He has to make that sacrifice to save his people.

He slept and he saw nothing wrong in it.

He slept off while the souls of his people were being ravaged by killers.

Agreed, he is not constitutional empowered to command troops but he is not constitutionally nor morally empowered to sleep off in the face of due notice of imminent and apparent danger.

He slept, He slept and he slept.

*Please note that the brevity of this NOTE is delibrate to emphasis the inglorious act and/or omission of Governor Jang who told us that he slept while his people were being killed.
They sleep on and cannot be woken by any phone call.
SHE SLEEPS ON


ADMIN Says:


DAILY TRUST - The Nigerian Army yesterday berated Governor David Jonah Jang of Plateau State over his accusation that the military was informed of an impending attack on some villages but failed to stop it.

In a statement by Director of Army Public Relations Brig. Gen AC Olukolade, the army said as a retired Air Commodore, Jang has demonstrated an embarrassing naivety in interpreting the dynamics of land operations.

The statement reads: “The Nigerian Army (NA) has noted with serious concern a statement made by the Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency, Da Jonah Jang to the effect that last Sunday’s killings in the Jos South Local Government Area of the State could have been averted if the Army had acted on the early intelligence report he provided.

“Coming from a Chief Executive and Chief Security Officer of a State with substantial military background, it is unfortunate that Air Commodore David Jang (rtd) has demonstrated an embarrassing naivety in interpreting the dynamics of land operations. The Governor would have spared the nation his unfortunate remarks if only he consulted sufficiently before making his inciting declaration.

“That Governor Jang visited the Defence Headquarters today Wednesday, 10 March, 2010 clearly indicates that he knows the appropriate authority to consult in the event of dissatisfaction with the action of any Army commander. Rather than follow this process, he resorted to inflammatory remarks targeted at rubbishing the army. His allegation insinuating bias is indeed unfortunate.

“It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Army is involved in internal security operations in virtually all states of the Federation including Plateau State. The record of the Army’s performance in all these operations has continued to attract commendation and appreciation even in the face of numerous challenges. Governor Jang’s ceaseless attack on the Army only goes to confirm his extraordinary partisanship to which the Army will not be blackmailed into supporting.

“It is common knowledge that the Internal Security operation in Jos, Plateau State is a Joint military operation involving the various services and the Nigeria Police Force. This situation arose when the Police could not cope at the onset of the Jos crisis in January 2010 and the military was legally drafted to restore law and order in Plateau State. The operation now involves personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police and the State Security Service among others. It is therefore unfortunate that Gov Jang’s spurious claims were specifically targeted at tarnishing the good image of the Army.

“The Governor may have his political or other intents to achieve, but he should desist from compounding issues, at least in the interest of the people who are endangered by his proposition and disdain for the Army in particular.

“Although the Army is briefing appropriate authorities on its operations and believes that appropriate response to Governor Jang’s attack on the Army is forthcoming, it is necessary to reassure Nigerians that the Army is not involved in any complicity as suggested by Governor Jang through his numerous channels for blackmail. The Army will continue to make its vital inputs into the ongoing joint operations of the Special Task Force as duly mandated by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to make it emphatically clear that it has no other interest in the state other than commitment to the operation and restoration of peace. The Army high command is working in concert with Defence Headquarters to guide the operations of the Joint Task Force in Plateau State towards achieving Government’s intention of ensuring adequate security in the area as quickly as possible.”

http://elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3086:jonah-jang-a-sleeping-governor&catid=64:kayode-ajulo&Itemid=37

ekt_bear:

Why should we believe the word of the SSS over Jang?

^Same SSS that was releasing arrested terrorists to Northern leaders for "rehabilitation" only for them to now be indicted in the recent spate of bombings. I 'd rather believe Jang even though I personally do not like his style of governance.

Also the OP ignored this:

knightride:

SSS did note that there was local premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth to either instigate or participate in violent acts connected to the Jos election. . .

In addition, SSS reported that there was some premeditated organisation of Hausa-Fulani youth groups to instigate or participate in violence connected with the Jos election.

^Those of us living in Jos already knew this. Just as we know that they are still planning further attacks in the near future.

aletheia:

Those of us living in Jos already knew this. Just as we know that they are still planning further attacks in the near future.

I hope you folks are also honest enough to note that the violence has come from both sides. Singling out one side for blame is counterproductive.

^Of course both sides are guilty of violence. . .but we must tell the truth about who started the killings in Jos 10 years ago this year.
Ask yourself this: why has the FG failed or refused to implement the various commissions of inquiry recommendations with regards to Jos?

aletheia:

^Of course both sides are guilty of violence. . .but we must tell the truth about who started the killings in Jos 10 years ago this year.
Ask yourself this: why has the FG failed or refused to implement the various commissions of inquiry recommendations with regards to Jos?

Coming from one would not expect anything sensible, who started the killing? are you 4real? it is all about govt response, govt failures to trial and capture all those responsible, thank God 4 the past 10 yrs the govt had been runned mostly by Christians who happen not want to implement any white paper. I do wonder aliartears when you would be able to use your initiative more than your fervent fanaticism, the current round of violence seems clearly more of the fault of Jang who thinks you can rig a minority upon a majority, well I guess Jang is your hero indeed.

^What "minority was rigged upon a majority"? Mouthing off on what you know nothing about. Shall I you tell about the events of September 7th 2001? Or the horror as I watched from my window in the Jos University Teaching Hospital quarters as Muslim youths went into the houses in Gangare and dragged out Non-muslims, stabbing and macheting them.

The thing is that the Hausa and Fulani taught the naturally hospitable indigenous tribes of Jos, the brutal arts of violence and ethnic cleansing. They are complaining now because these indigenes have borrowed a leaf out of the Zango-Kataf playbook and taken the violence up a notch.

^^^^^

The Hausa Fulani taught them violence? , are too unintelligent to think for yourself? Maybe you should go consult your pastor to guide u properly sincce you have to depend on him to tell you who to vote. when one reads statements made y aliartears one would only hope he is part of a very small minority. I hope you have not slit any one's throat in Jos!

^Nope. Disinformation at its best. As our discussions during the last elections revealed; you know next to nothing about the part of the country called the Middle-Belt, the people there and their psyche. It's your Hausa-Fulani brothers that began the SinParty of slitting throats only for the other tribes to start practising what they learnt from them. Unlike you who's just mouthing off here. . .I am an eye-witness of the events having lived through the ten years of the violence in Jos. On two occasions I had to flee my house because of your marauding Hausa-Fulani brothers. Ask the parents of University of Jos students whose children were killed in Angwar Rogo and Gangare for no other reason than that they were not Hausa-Fulani Muslim. Ask the relations of Yoruba and Igbirra Muslims who were killed in places like Nasarawa in Jos. Ask the Igbo traders who were killed in Dilimi.

If the Hausa-Fulani elite do not cease from trying to foist their ethnic and supremacist agenda on the rest of the people of Nigeria while disguising it as religious fervor then they should know that the solution of April 22, 1990 and the aftermath of February 13, 1976 are still remembered by the people of the Middle-Belt. . .and our time will come.

vedaxcool:

The Hausa Fulani taught them violence?

^Yes.

ekt_bear:

Why should we believe the word of the SSS over Jang?

Whoever said this deserves a bottle of champagne. Forget these myopic guys talking like wikileaks is God or something.

phreakabit:

Whoever said this deserves a bottle of champagne. Forget these myopic guys talking like wikileaks is God or something.

You have just voiced at least the opinion of 99.99% of Nigerians - Blind to Truth [/b]even if it smack and rape5 them 5 times every day - [b]Willful ignorance of a good majority of Nigerians home/abroad is the cause of our present predicament. it is either we are waiting for divine intervention or. we are just sitting on our arse5 waiting for the inevitable

Why should we blame everything on Jang?
This problem has been there since the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
What about during the Dariye regime, was there no riots, was that also caused by Jang
We, Nigerians don't like to solve problems from the root.
This problem has been blamed on Solomo Lar, Joshua Dariye, Gbom Gwon - Jos and every and anybody who has ever ruled Benue Plateau without being a muslim.

Hausas are as indiginous to Jos as Igbos are as indiginous to Kano, and Yorubas to Port Harcourt

Is this a coming as a surprise to anyone
Jang is leader of a mult-ethno-religious state like Plateau, but is running around in-sighting that we must defeat our enemies in Jesus name.
are statements like this not going to add fuel to the fire?

When both Christian and Muslim communities are destroyed and Jang only shows condolence for the Christian communities is this not going to add fuel to the fire?

When Jang the leader can not sit down and have dialogue with the "warring" parties, rather declare "war" against a party is that not going to add fuel to the fire?

When a Hausa man is cheated out of Jos-north chairmanship and Jang rigs a berom man(who have less population in J-North than Igbo's and Yoruba's) as chairman is this not going to add fuel to the fire?
(naijaking, during Dariye's regime Dariye did the diplomatic thing by instilling a chairman and vice-chairman thereby appeasing both sides, a mark of a true politician)

Obviously this Crisis can not be blamed solely on the Governor, but Jang has failed miserably in keeping the peace in Plateau. Left up to him he would not one muslim in Plateau. I wish Jang could use the same resourcefulness that he has used in building roads and infrastructure in the state and find a lasting solution to this "un-jostified" predicament we are in as state. The people of Plateau want peace!

For you to be part of a good nairalander,you must be very good at insulting people.

JosBoy4Lif:

Is this a coming as a surprise to anyone
Jang is leader of a mult-ethno-religious state like Plateau, but is running around in-sighting that we must defeat our enemies in Jesus name.
are statements like this not going to add fuel to the fire?

When both Christian and Muslim communities are destroyed and Jang only shows condolence for the Christian communities is this not going to add fuel to the fire?

When Jang the leader can not sit down and have dialogue with the "warring" parties, rather declare "war" against a party is that not going to add fuel to the fire?

When a Hausa man is cheated out of Jos-north chairmanship and Jang rigs a berom man(who have less population in J-North than Igbo's and Yoruba's) as chairman is this not going to add fuel to the fire?
(naijaking, during Dariye's regime Dariye did the diplomatic thing by instilling a chairman and vice-chairman thereby appeasing both sides, a mark of a true politician)

Obviously this Crisis can not be blamed solely on the Governor, but Jang has failed miserably in keeping the peace in Plateau. Left up to him he would not one muslim in Plateau. I wish Jang could use the same resourcefulness that he has used in building roads and infrastructure in the state and find a lasting solution to this "un-jostified" predicament we are in as state. The people of Plateau want peace!

I'm not saying Jang has been perfect, but the recent interview with Alh. Passali who said Hausa/Fulanis are indigenous to Jos also add fuel to the fire. The Nigerian constitution is defective in areas of who is a native and who is not, and that has been one of the most contentious issue of our republic. We need to address this problem from a truely national perspective. If an Igbo or Yoruba man can't run for a political office in Jos why should a Fulani man do so?

naijaking1:

I'm not saying Jang has been perfect, but the recent interview with Alh. Passali who said Hausa/Fulanis are indigenous to Jos also add fuel to the fire. The Nigerian constitution is defective in areas of who is a native and who is not, and that has been one of the most contentious issue of our republic. We need to address this problem from a truely national perspective. If an Igbo or Yoruba man can't run for a political office in Jos why should a Fulani man do so?

I could not agree with you more regarding the bolded statement. But our leaders would not allow for such to occur because it would threaten the vary modus operandi that allows them to get into power. And who said and Igbo man or Yoruba man cannot run for political office in Jos? He certainly can, he just would not win since our general population vote based on ethno-religious sentiment instead of who is best for the Job.

@poster,Thank God u said wikileaks. 4ck wiki, they just released my secret affairs with osama bin ladin's wives,

begwong:

@poster,Thank God u said wikileaks. 4ck wiki, they just released my secret affairs with osama bin ladin's wives,

nice talk.
why can't hausa man leave plateau man alone !!
They (hausa's) are the problem of plateau state.

Wikileaks IS LIKE A MALFUNCTIONING COMMUNICATION SATELLITE OUT OF CONTROL IN SPACE.

I don't believe most of the incomprehensible allegations, assumptions and speculations of Wikileaks.

opinionated

For you to be part of a good nairalander,you must be very good at insulting people.

huh

Good observation.

ossai sly:

For you to be part of a good nairalander,you must be very good at insulting people.

What wikileaks is saying about Jang & Jos crisis is well known to all. They will not believe because they have an ethnic cleansing agenda which blindly followed based on emotions and neither facts nor justice is respectable to them.

francisj:

nice talk.
why can't hausa man leave plateau man alone !!
They (hausa's) are the problem of plateau state.

It will be difficult for them to leave Jos O! Imagine their own problem is indigene. Meanwhile they are settlers from Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi, Kebbi, Jigawa etc. They have come to Jos and fighting for Chairman Jos North Local Government, Abeg How is it possible for you to chop your federal government allocation in Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi , kebbi, Jigawa, Borno, etc and still come to Jos to chop Plateau peoples allocation. Lets face reallity even for you to chop a 5 year old's N10= these days will be difficult not to talk of elders wey thier eyes don tear finish. For peace to reign, the Malos should stop struggling indigene with Plateau people. The Malos should quitely manage what they already have from Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi , kebbi, Jigawa, Borno, etc.

I am not Plateau but sincerely I love how the Plateau people have sacrificed their blood to stop malos from taking away thier birth right.

what has wikileaks have to say about IBB and OBJ governments?

naijaking1:

I'm not saying Jang has been perfect, but the recent interview with Alh. Passali who said Hausa/Fulanis are indigenous to Jos also add fuel to the fire. The Nigerian constitution is defective in areas of who is a native and who is not, and that has been one of the most contentious issue of our republic. We need to address this problem from a truely national perspective. If an Igbo or Yoruba man can't run for a political office in Jos why should a Fulani man do so?

Hausa Fulanis have settled in jos as far back as the beginning of 18th century when Dan Fodio and co were propagating the expansion of islam through coercion. However, I dont what we can call them, either native or not cos Nigerian constitution does not define who a native is.

francisj:

nice talk.
why can't hausa man leave plateau man alone !!
They (hausa's) are the problem of plateau state.

The present crisis was caused by the ethnocentric government (Jang) backed by the notorious big party, PDP. The govt and the pdp machineries were warned not impose a candidate on Jos North LGA  but they never listened.

naijaking1:

Why should we blame everything on Jang?
This problem has been there since the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
What about during the Dariye regime, was there no riots, was that also caused by Jang
We, Nigerians don't like to solve problems from the root.
This problem has been blamed on Solomo Lar, Joshua Dariye, Gbom Gwon - Jos and every and anybody who has ever ruled Benue Plateau without being a muslim.

Hausas are as indiginous to Jos as Igbos are as indiginous to Kano, and Yorubas to Port Harcourt

The Jos crisis has never been this protracted. Everybody is putting blame on Jang cos of his insensitivity and partisan politics that he displayed in handling the local govt election.

ekt_bear:

Why should we believe the word of the SSS over Jang?

the devil and the deep blue sea

^^^
You know that's not quite true.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-768077.32.html

see what alethie posted about historical evidence of Hausa arrival in Jos. Dan Fodio did not conquer the Beroms, nor converted them to Islam either.

naijaking1:

^^^
You know that's not quite true.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-768077.32.html

see what alethie posted about historical evidence of Hausa arrival in Jos. Dan Fodio did not conquer the Beroms, nor converted them to Islam either.

I never said that the Berom were conquered and or converted to Islam. I said the "Hausa Fulanis settled" in Jos in course of propagating Islam. Hausa Fulanis conquered the Jarawas in Bauchi specifically around the areas known now as Tora LGA of Bauchi. Naturally, every settled population expands so it was for Hausa Fulanis in Jos.
Hausa Fulanis root is traced back to the Arabs and being the kind of people that they are and the tendency for them to propagate their religion, they are usually aggressive. They settled in Jos probably through coercion and or aggressiveness although there is no written record of an occurrence of violence between the Berom and the Fulanis. All these can however be traced to the Hegemonic and Expansionist tendencies of Hausa Fulanis.