Islamic Group Claims Responsibility For Jos Bombings

An Islamic fundamentalist group, Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal Jihad, on Monday claimed responsibility for the Christmas Eve multiple bomb blasts in Jos, Plateau State.

The group, which also to vowed to sustain violent attacks on the city which it named Suldaniyya, added that it was also behind another blast in a church in Borno State that claimed four lives last Friday.

In a statement posted on its website (http://mansoorah.net/sb_attacks.php), the group said the Jos attacks were carried out in retaliation for the “atrocities committed against Muslims in the city and the country in general.”



It said that it was operating under the leadership of Abu Muhammad and Abubakar bin Muhammad Shekau, and reminded Muslims that “Allah enjoined them to make provisions for fighting the ‘disbelievers,’ since they (disbelievers) are fighting Islam and its faithful.”

The statement reads, “In the name of Allah the mighty who has power over everything, who made fighting the disbelievers an obligation until justice is established on earth.

“May peace and blessings continue to be upon the last messenger who waged jihad, the best of it.

“O nations of the world, be informed that verily the attacks in Suldaniyya (Jos) and Borno on the eve of Christmas were carried out by us, to start avenging the atrocities committed against Muslims in those areas, and the country in general.

“Therefore, we will continue with our attacks on ‘disbelievers’ and their allies and all those who help them, until Allah’s deen triumph by his grace and will.”

The State Security Service could not be reached for comments. Its Assistant Director, Press, Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, did not respond to several calls to her telephone line.

But the Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore, dismissed the claim, insisting that it might be a decoy to distract attention from the perpetrators of the blasts and confuse investigations into the matter.

“I just spoke with the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, AbdulRahman Akano, and he said that he did not get the statement. He believes the statement might be a decoy to distract investigations and attention from the masterminds,” Amore said.

The FPRO added that no arrest had been made in connection with the bombings. In Jos, the Joint Special Task Force, said on Monday, it arrested two suspects in connection with Sunday’s violence in Jos.

Its spokesman, Capt. Charles Nweocha, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the suspects were arrested while attempting to burn a worship centre in Dojon-Karfe.

He added that soldiers on Monday prevented three men from planting bombs near First Baptist Church in Nasarawa Gwong.

The three men, he added, fled on sighting the soldiers, who recovered bomb-making materials such as dynamite powder, fertiliser, petrol and petrol bombs.

But before Nweocha spoke, the Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, had blamed the bomb blasts on lapses on the part of security agencies.

The governor made this known after assessing the impact of the explosions on the affected communities in company with the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Mr. Istifanus Mwansat, and the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Jocelyn Tapgun.

Blaming the series of crises in the state on ‘some special people,’ he claimed that three people were arrested recently by security operatives for making bombs.

Jang lamented that as the chief security officer of the state, he was yet to be told about the confessions made by the suspects.

The governor said, “Some weeks ago, three people at different times and locations were caught making bombs. One of them cut his arm. Some people are behind them, when you look at them, they are not people who can even afford any money to buy the materials for making theses bombs.

“As the Chief Security Officer of the state nobody has told me the confessions they have made because they would have revealed those who sent them.

“They (security operatives) have been quiet until these people have succeeded in making the bombs and killing people.”

Expressing concern over the security inadequacy in the state, he challenged the Federal Government to strengthen security arrangement and its approach in the state.

The governor said, “I have heard from the people and what has happened is another disaster. You can see at Angwa Rukuba how the youths are agitated.

“Let the Federal Government bring the whole weight of security here on the Plateau and unearth all these people behind the crises in this state.”

He lamented that “anytime these things (crises) happen, the police would quickly move these special people to Abuja.”

Jang added that ‘even the few’ that had been brought to the state were charged with terrorism, an offence which, according to him, does not exist in Nigeria.

The governor, therefore, wondered why nobody had been charged for murder in the series of crises in the state that had claimed hundreds of lives.

Tapgun had, while conveying President Goodluck Jonathan’s sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, also wished the injured quick recovery.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gregory Yenlong, who claimed that the attacks were politically-motivated, revealed that the government was privy to the Christmas eve bombings.

He said, “Government is amazed. About 10 days ago, we got the rumours that Christmas was going to be disrupted in Jos. The attention of the security agencies were drawn to it.

“To the best of my knowledge, the state security council met and the security operatives were told of the alleged plan on the ground to disrupt Christmas and blow up certain areas within Jos metropolis.”

Meanwhile, security operatives at the road blocks in Jos used metal detectors to frisk motorcyclists and vehicles.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police Operation, Force Headquarters, Mr. Audu Abubakar, had said on Sunday that many streets in Jos had been deserted.

“I also observed that streets were deserted but the few people sighted are going about their normal businesses,’’ he said.