Don’t interfere in our internal affairs, FG tells AU

Don’t interfere in our internal affairs, FG tells AU

News Nov 15, 2010 By Innocent Anaba
The Nigerian Government in Banjul, the Gambia, weekend, cautioned the African Union, AU, not to interfere in its internal matters, following calls by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, on the continental body to prevail on the Federal Government to prosecute perpetrators of the recent Jos, Plateau State crisis.
Meanwhile, the Advisory Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan on the Jos crisis has submitted its report with government promising to take all necessary steps to restore permanent peace to Plateau State.
NBA had in its presentation during the report on human rights situation in Africa session by non-governmental organisations at the on-going 48th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in the Banjul, called on the AU to press on the Nigerian Government to prosecute those behind the recent crisis in Jos in which many lives and property worth million of naira were lost.
But reacting swiftly during the time of reply offered countries to respond to issues raised by NGOs in there respective countries, Nigerian said: “We wish to state that there is no basis for the call by the NBA for the intervention of the AU in the resolution of the Jos crisis.
Nigeria has already commenced the implementation of several peace building measures in its sovereign capacity and we are hopeful that the measure will achieve the desired result.”
Mr. Pius Otey of the Ministry of Justice, who read Nigeria’s reply said: “In response to the Jos crisis from January 17 to 19, President Jonathan apart from taking immediate security measures to quickly check the escalation of the crisi, constituted a Presidentail Advisory Committee on the crisis with a mandate to review the past reports on the crisis and make necessary recommendations for urgent implementation by government.
“The committee has submitted its report and we wish to assure this commission that there is a demonstrable political will on the part of government to take all necessary steps to restore peace permanently to Plateau State.
A critical step which is currently being undertaken is the prosecution of all persons arrested for perpetrating violence in the course of the recent crises by the Federal and Plateau State authorities to discourage a culture of impunity, which may fuel further crises in future.”
“We wish to assure the commission that a state of normalcy is gradually returning to the city and its environs and there is an increased awareness on the part of all stakeholders in the region on the need to sustain the present momentum of peace.”
Further, Nigeria said, “we appreciate the sympathy and assistance of all international institutions and agencies, especially on the African continent, who have expressed their concerns in respect of the recent crises in Jos and hereby assure them that we are in control of the situation and working with traditional, religious, civil society and local government authorities is committed to taking all necessary measures to restore normalcy to Jos and its environs.”