Hundreds of women on Monday protested what they called indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens by soldiers just as the Civil Society Coalition in the state condemned the recent shooting of students of the University of Jos.
The women dressed in black attires brandished leaves and placards denouncing alleged extra-judicial killings by soldiers who they said have failed to end the orgy of violence in the state.
The women gathered at the Polo Ground as early as 7.am and marched through major streets to the Government Lodge, Jitshe to present their grievances to Governor Jonah Jang. They called for the withdrawal of the soldiers.
“We are demanding the immediate withdrawal of the soldiers. We don’t want them anymore. They have killed our youths, our husbands and our children. Since they came over a year ago, we have not rested for fear of attacks.
“Since they have not been able to stop the attacks and killing of our people and some of them have been accused of being involved in the killings, they should go” one of their leaders, Mrs. Rhoda Wang told the governor.
Jang who commended the women for their peaceful conduct promised to convey their grievances to the federal authorities assuring that steps were being taken to overcome the security challenges facing the state.
Also condemning the shooting of students at a press briefing on Monday, the Civil Society Coalition’s acting Coordinator, Comrade Gad Peter decried firing shots into students while legitimately demonstrating against the stabbing of their colleagues.
He said rather than go after the culprits the soldiers chose to open fire on students in contravention of civilized rules of engagement in such circumstances.
The coalition recommended a beef up of security along the various routes leading to the university campuses, provision of safer means of transportation for students and the provision of additional infrastructure on the permanent site to accommodate most students within the campus away from unsafe areas of the city.
It demanded that the military high command should tender a public apology to parents, students and the university community “for this unprofessional conduct of men of the STF.”
By Tola Adeniyi & Grateful Dakat (400 Level)
