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| Fighters with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) raise their riffles to celebrate news of a successful operation by their colleagues against the Nigerian army in the Niger Delta on September 17, 2008. MEND has declared a full-scale "oil war" against the Nigerian authorities in response to attacks by the Nigerian military launched against the militants. "Our target is to crumble the oil installations in order to force the government to a round table to solve the problem once and for all", said Boy Loaf, leader of the militants. | ||
Nigeria's central Plateau State government has approved the relaxing of the curfew imposed on parts of its riot-hit capital Jos to start from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to the official News Agency of Nigeria reports on Sunday.
The curfew was imposed on the city before now from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. following a sectarian crisis that trailed a local government poll.
A statement on Sunday in Jos was issued by the Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang's Director of Press and Public Affairs, James Mannok, to announce the relaxation of the restriction on the city.
The statement said residents were free to go about their normal duties and businesses within the stipulated time, but advised them to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement.
It said that Jang has restated government determination to restore normalcy and peace in the city.
Jang, in the statement, also thanked all security agencies for their courage and sense of duty in handling the crisis.
He appreciated the cooperation of residents of Jos with the government and security agencies during the crisis, and urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for lasting peace.
Riot broke out on November 28 in Jos after a rumor said that the candidate of the opposition All Nigerian People's Party lost the local government chairmanship election to the candidate of the ruling People's Democratic Party as a result of fraud in the race.
Face-off of supporters of rival sides then developed into clashes throughout Jos that lasted about two days.
Mobs, armed with machetes and home-made guns, divided along political, ethnic and religious lines, burned houses, looted shops and destroyed mosques and churches.
The Plateau State government has given the official death toll in the riot as 200 and said that more than 10,000 have been displaced. Some media reports said over 300 people were killed in the mayhem.
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