Five years after, Plateau Government to release Ajibola report on Jos crisis

The Plateau State Commissioner for Justice, Edward Pwajok, has said that the report of the Justice Bola Ajibola Commission of Inquiry into the 2008 Jos crisis would soon be released.

Mr. Pwajok told reporters in Jos on Wednesday that: “Government has concluded deliberations on the report and shall soon make it public.’’

The commission was set up by the state government in November 2008, after the devastating crises in Jos that claimed many lives.

“The State Government set up the commission of inquiry to investigate the immediate and remote causes of that crisis; it was expected to identify persons responsible for it and recommend sanctions, among other things.

“The Ajibola Commission of Inquiry, if you recall, concluded its assignment since 2009, but for various reasons, government has not been able to conclude deliberations on the report.

“Today, that chapter of the unfortunate crises, has been closed; government has concluded deliberations and has issued a white paper on the report of the commission,’’ the commissioner said.

He further stated that the White Paper encapsulates the views of government on each of the items of the Ajibola panel’s report.

According to him, the white paper, when published, will be sold to members of the public like those of previous commissions of inquiry.

Mr. Pwajok said that the current administration had risen to the occasion and had even published and distributed the reports of commissions of inquiry set up by other administrations.

“It started with Luke Enefo Commission of Inquiry into the Tudun Wada and Kabong crises of 1991, as well as the Luke Enefo Commission of Enquiry into the 1994 Jos crises.

“We have also published and shared out report of the Justice Niki Tobi Commission of Inquiry into the 2001 Jos crises,’’ he said.

The commissioner said that it was Gov. Jonah Jang’s administration that issued the white papers on all the commissions of enquiry, saying that the Ajibola commission’s report was the only one that was pending.

“When all the reports are published, the comparisons will be made and we shall move toward resolving all areas of conflict once and for all,’’ he said.

(NAN)