Obasanjo in surprise visit to Jos

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday evening made an unannounced entry into Jos, Plateau State.

Though, the reason for his visit was not clear, our correspondent learnt that it might not be unconnected with the killings in the city and its suburbs.

Obasanjo was received at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang, by Governor Jonah Jang.

Efforts to get the former president’s itinerary were not successful, but it was gathered that he was on a trouble shooting mission.

His visit came 48 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan transferred security control in the state to the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin.

When our correspondent visited Obasanjo’s house at Wase Close in Jos, it was heavily guarded by armed soldiers.

Truck loads of riot policemen were on Thursday being deployed in the state Police command headquarters from some states and Abuja.

As the deployment took place, more than 1,000 Muslim and Christian youths in Jos resolved to forget their differences and work for peace in the state.

The youths, at a rally to commemorate the 2011 World Peace Day, expressed their displeasure with the series of violence in the state.

They were accompanied by security agencies attached to the state House of Assembly complex as they went round the major streets of Jos on Thursday.

They expressed their displeasure with the reoccurring crisis in the state and called on stakeholders to close ranks in the interest of peace.

Rev. Joseph Bot, who led the youths, said the crisis in the state must be reversed while restoration of peace should be everybody’s business.

Special Adviser to Governor Jonah Jang on Peace Building, Mr. Timothy Parlong, said the causes of the crisis in the state were not mainly religious.

Parlong said there must be peace in the state for government to be able to deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizenry. He therefore called for cooperation with security agencies to restore peace to the state.

The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, John Shekarau, blamed the persistent crisis on religious leaders, alleging that they were in the habit of instigating their followers through their sermons.

The procession by the youths came just as Catholic faithful marked the feast of the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows by observing total fasting for peace in the state.

The Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, who ordered the fasting, had also asked them to abstain from meat on Friday (today) in memory of those who had lost their lives to the crisis in the state.

Masses were also held at various churches to celebrate the occasion.

The ceremony will be climaxed with a novelty football match between Muslims and Christians.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Dipo Ayeni, has appealed to the state House of Assembly to make a law that would empower vigilance groups to stem recurring attacks on rural communities.

Ayeni made the suggestion when he received the seven-man committee set up by the Assembly to investigate the midnight attacks on some communities.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109163153437

This man is a political machine!

GEJ ordered immediate security switch over cos of your coming, Uhhhhh interesting, BABA OBJ u get brain,u r political guru, Liaise with the grievance ones to restore peace to that land and Nigeria entirely, Your presence is a terror to the sponsor of those trouble- makers.I believe you. GOD BLESS NIGEIRA

foolish bastardd .just die you are not fit to live

I'm confused

@hollandis it seems OBJ affect your resident permit

it is well:

I'm confused

so am i, i can't make head nor tail of it,not really sure wat to think

its ok for obj. to visit nah. i.am sure GEJ asked him to do some trouble shooting behind the scenes. while publicly government make talk tough and all that the real and actual work is behind the scenes meeting stake holders and the like. what plenty people especially in the south don't know is that obj is respected in the north more than people like ibb and others.

besides its not the first time government will rely on a past head of state help resolve issues. abdulsalam did it in Liberia, Sudan, gowon did some trouble shooting during abacha etc shagari has waded more into personality clashes trying to prevent any heavyweight fighting between elites consuming the nation

OBJ on the move as usual.

THE ISSUE IS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT CORRUPTION HEAD ON AND ERRADICATE POVERTY.
BRIBERY-LACED-VISISTING WILL DO NO GOOD WITHOUT TACKLING THE MAIN ISSUE.

Nice move

hollandis:


foolish bastardd .just die you are not fit to live

This shows how much regard you have for your father i.e if you were told you have one. The man is old enough to be your grand father.
What kind of generation do we have today?
Shame on you Hollandis. . .

not visitation but a solution to dat crisis, gosh

hollandi it seems obj did't give ur groundfather wat he needed

I am not a fan of OBJ,but he earn my respect for this. A visit will not end the crisis, however we need constant and realistic involvement from leaders. This is what i espect from Plateau leaders like Solomon Lar,Yakubu Gowon,Domkat Bali,Jeremiah Useni,Ibrahim Mantu,Joshua Dariye etc. instead they are unmindful or taking sides.

Unexpectedly ?? he is everywhere ,

Did they say there will a match between Moslems and Christians in Jos?

na wao. This is my advice sha:

Please, they should explain to them that attack and defence in the pitch is not the same as when they a re dragging for "Who owns the land".

During the match, the players, the benchers, the couches and the surporters must be made to wear only shorts! The shorts must not have pockets. (If not for decency, I would have said they must all be naked). This is to aboid any hiding of weapon by anybody.

All finger nails must be trimmed to the minimum.

I don talk my own finish.

Obj is father of modern nigeria,take it or leave it.

am a big fan of obj.sir,keep the good fight on.

u guys should leave the guy, he is on a peace keeping mission.

there is this popular saying that the solution lies in knowing the problem

Carry on Baba, i wonder what Buhari has done since all these issues started. Him just wan be President, na so e easy,

OBJ has moved this country forward more than any other leader in our past. Take it or leave it.

Baba Iyabo to the rescue. I wont be surprised if Boko Haram stops bombing naija after this "coded" visit

Sam567:

Carry on Baba, i wonder what Buhari has done since all these issues started. Him just wan be President, na so e easy,

OBJ has moved this country forward more than any other leader in our past. Take it or leave it.

I agree with you except on his administration's handling of Bakassi

I thought we voted for Odechukwu retardeen as president and not OBJ.

Where is Retardeen to quell all these? I forgot he has no shoes so cant go out

Do not be deceived, whatever a man sows, that he shall reap.

Odechuckwu is on top of the situation, he prolly waiting for the american ambassador to give him orders as always

Nigerians are ediots indeed,it is only in Nigeria that a foolish president like OBJ will have followers.I weep for Nigerian youths!!

guess ur father is a nigerian, nd if nt u can trace bck ur origin-line I bet u r just one E-diotic bastard who unfortunately got acess to d internet because of OBJ.

Mark my words, one of these days OBJ will topple Jonathan and return to Aso Rock again.
That is all I see happening. Obasanjo only serves Obasanjo. He never really left and Jonathan is only standing in for him.

I am really beginning to doubt Jonathan's ability to lead Nigeria. But time will tell.