2001 Jos riots

2001 religious violence in Nigeria July 2013 June 2023 thumb|225px|Location of Jos in Nigeria The 2001 Jos riots were riots involving Christians and Muslims in Jos, Nigeria, over the appointment of a Muslim politician, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, as local coordinator of the federal poverty alleviation program.http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/octoberweb-only/10-1-23.0.html Religious Riots in Nigeria Leave Hundreds Dead Christianity Today 1 October 2001 Obed Minchakpu 30 November 2008 The clashes started on 7 September and lasted nearly two weeks, ending on 17 September. Some 1,000 people were killed during the riots.http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/29/nigeria.riots.ap/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail 300 bodies taken to mosque on 2nd day of Nigeria riots CNN 29 August 2008 30 November 2008 3 February 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230203092048/http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/29/nigeria.riots.ap/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail deadHuman Rights Watch "Leave Everything to God": Accountability for Inter-Communal Violence in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria 12 December 2013 42–43 https://www.hrw.org/reports/2013/12/12/leave-everything-god-0 5 May 2015 21 April 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150421165010/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2013/12/12/leave-everything-god-0 dead Causes Religious and ethnic conflicts have repeatedly occurred in Jos due to the city's geographical placement in Nigeria. Jos, the capital of Plateau State, is located in the middle of the country, which lies between the predominantly Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south. Jos was also known for its job opportunities, leading people from around Nigeria to move there for employment. The influx of people led to tensions between members of "indigene" (indigenous) ethnic groups and non-indigene ethnic groups (often referred to as "settlers").Krause Jana A Deadly Cycle: Ethno-Religious Conflict in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria 2011 Geneva Declaration http://www.genevadeclaration.org/fileadmin/docs/regional-publications/GD-WP-Jos-deadly-cycle.pdf 5 May 2015 7 July 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210707205721/http://www.genevadeclaration.org/fileadmin/docs/regional-publications/GD-WP-Jos-deadly-cycle.pdf deadHuman Rights Watch "They Do Not Own This Place": Government Discrimination Against "Non-Indigenes" in Nigeria April 2006 https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/nigeria0406webwcover.pdf 5 May 2015 In June 2001, the federal government appointed a Hausa Muslim politician, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, as local coordinator of the federal poverty alleviation program. Indigene Christians protested his appointment.2001-12-18 Jos https://www.hrw.org/report/2001/12/18/jos/city-torn-apart Human Rights Watch enbecoadmin 2021-09-07 The Plateau Killings and the need to keep the Public informed https://beco.org.ng/the-plateau-killings-and-the-need-to-keep-the-public-informed/ 2026-06-05 Berom Educational and Cultural Organization en-US Tensions turned violent on 7 September 2001, when a Christian woman attempted to cross a barricaded street outside a mosque during Friday prayers. This led to a conflict between her and a group of Muslims. The fight eventually spread to other parts of the city.Human Rights Watch Jos: A City Torn Apart December 2001 https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/nigeria1201_1.pdf 5 May 2015 Riots thumb|A hospitalized gunshot victim (left) from the 2001 Jos riots Fighting spread through various Jos neighborhoods and to surrounding communities. Property and even human beings were set on fire. Many houses, shops, mosques, and churches were burned or damaged. Torched cars were left along the streets after the clashes. Christian leaders reported that Muslims spontaneously attacked Christians and burned churches, including three churches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (presently known as Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN), the main Assemblies of God church, and a Jos Apostolic Church. The military was eventually deployed and stopped the violence. Local sourcesDecember 2009 said the military's intervention and enforcement of the curfew helped end the clashes.Nigeria: The Jos Clashes https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/nigeria-jos-clashes 2026-06-05 www.rusi.org enNigeria: Jos - A City Torn Apart - Summary https://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/nigeria/nigeria1201.htm 2026-06-05 www.hrw.org Aftermath The 10 days of violence left approximately 1,000 dead.Nigeria Christian and Muslim conflict timeline | Timetoast timelines. Timetoast.com. Because of the large number of people killed in the clashes, a mass burial had to be arranged. The riots caused the displacement of at least 50,000 civilians. The authorities arrested several hundred people and set up a commission of inquiry, which identified people who were allegedly involved in the violence, but no one was successfully prosecuted. See also 2008 Jos riots 2010 Jos riots References Nigeria Category:2001 murders in Nigeria Category:2001 riots Category:Religious riots in Nigeria Riots, 2001 Category:September 2001 crimes in Africa Category:September 2001 in Nigeria Category:2000s political riots Category:21st century in Jos Category:2001 mass murders Category:21st-century mass murders in Nigeria Category:2001 in Christianity Category:2001 in Islam Category:Attacks on churches in Nigeria Category:Attacks on mosques in Nigeria Category:Attacks on shops in Nigeria Category:Arson in Nigeria Category:Arson in 2001 Category:2000s fires in Africa Category:Arson attacks on vehicles in Africa Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2001 Category:Attacks on mosques in the 2000s Category:Church arson in Africa Category:Mosque arson Category:Jos