Political Turmoil Allows for Unrestrained Violence in Nigeria
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Its undebatable that Nigeria is suffering from a crisis of leadership. The real victims, however, may be the casualties of civil unrest so violent in past days, its not a question of when an unorganized government will hunker down and control the situation but if.
Amidst the controversy encircling the executive office, a recent resurgence of ethnic clashes may showcase the further dissolution of a transitional government.
During the absence of former/current President Yar ‘Adua due to serious health issues, acting President Goodluck Jonathan is set to meet with security chiefs to discuss the recent clashes involving Muslim herders and Christian villagers that killed hundreds of people near the central city of Jos.
A security meeting in Abuja is begging held as authorities in Jos bury hundreds of hacked bodies of victims, mostly women and children, in mass graves.
A spokesman for the state government, Gregory Nianlong, says at least 500 people were slaughtered in a night raid on three villages near Jos, capital of Plateau state. There was no independent confirmation of the figure.Several more victims are being treated while about 100 suspects have been arrested.
Security forces have been ordered to hunt down those behind the clashes. Lagos-based political analyst, George Eke, says the lack of opportunities, and the extreme poverty it breeds, is responsible for the unending crises in Jos.
“A lot of these problems are caused by politicians,” he said. “Nigeria has been classified, particularly the north, has been classified as a place where al-Qaida could go and pick people to do their operations. Why? Because there is lack of education there. Governments in-out, in-out, each administration, is doing nothing to lift these children up.”
Clashes between rival ethnic and religious groups in January left 320 dead in Jos, according to the police. Religious and human-rights activists put the overall toll at more than 500.
Sectarian violence in central Nigeria has left thousands dead over the past decade. The greater the discombobulation at head office, the more uncontrolled these clashes will become, and the world’s fourth largest oil reserve will continue to tailspin with political risk .