Jang on Jos blasts: ‘Nigeria at war…’

Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, believes “Nigeria is at war with unknown enemies,” and has therefore urged the citizens to rise in support of the government in its fight against terrorism.

Jang, who halted his foreign medical trip in order to visit the scene of Tuesday’s bomb blasts around the Terminus Market in Jos, lamented that the war against terrorism is a difficult one, because the enemies are unknown.

“This is a different type of war from the wars that we all know; these are enemies that are unknown,” Jang said.

“And these are the worst enemies that you can fight, because you don’t know where they are coming from. You don’t know where and how to tackle them until suddenly you are taken by surprise as it is now.”

At least 18 people died in the blasts, while scores are still receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city, and Jang believes perpetrators of this “heinous crime” and other killings are not Nigerians.

“These people are being sponsored. They are employed by the evil people in Nigeria to kill Nigerians. They come to a place. They don’t stay on trees, but with people,” he said.

“We are made to understand that they bring in these bombs not as bombs, but they bring them as materials and assemble them in one of our houses. Why is it difficult for people to report such cases?”

Jang expressed belief that many plans of the terrorists would be thwarted if Nigerians decide to be more aware of their security.

“We must be suspicious of everything, not just cars,” he said.

“We must be suspicious of everything and we must always call the security numbers given to the public by security agencies to report complaints.”

Jang also spoke on the abducted Chibok girls, commiserating with families of the abductees but chastising those who have criticised the government’s perceived slow response to the matter, especially those at the forefront of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

“Do they want the president to go to Chibok, to go to the bush to search for the girls himself?

“We are all sad about the disappearance of these girls and the Federal Government is working seriously with the international community to locate where they are.

“Some of those in the streets marching against the government are those who had held government positions and could not perform. When the time for politics comes, we must play politics; but when the time for emergency like this one comes, we must face it squarely and address it.”