Following the recent bomb blast that claimed lives and injured several persons in Jos, the Jos Peace Dialogue Forum of the Swiss Nairobi-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue has said these are attempts by enemies of peace to provoke another round of sectarian violence between the Christians and Muslims in the State.

The Centre, which is an international peace mediation organization, has been facilitating inter-communal peace dialogue among eight communities in Jos North, Barakin Ladi, Jos South and Riyom LGAs of Plateau State in the past two years. It has also created the Jos Peace Dialogue Forum as their implementation arm in Nigeria.

In a press statement, Tuesday in Jos, signed by CHD Advisor, Dr. Yakubu Sankey and the Chairmen of the Berom, Afizere, Anaguta, Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, South-South and women steering committees, the centre called on all people of good will to rise up and prevent any further attack on worship places so as not to engender any further violence and bloodshed in the state.

It reads, “The twin bomb blasts of Sunday July 5 at Yan Taya Mosque and Bauchi Road Shagalinku Restaurant in Jos have traumatized members of all our communities as well as their relations across the country.

CHD and JDPF would like to extend their sincere condolences on behalf of all the communities in the Forum to those who have lost their loved ones or sustained injuries as a result of these cowardly attacks”.

It added, “There are unrelenting efforts by terrorists to again push Jos into another inter-communal and sectarian violence such as the July 12 planning of improvised explosive device (IEDs) at ECWA Bishara 1 Tudun Wada.”

While appreciating the role of the security in prompt response, the Forum said, “We the communities of Jos say with our whole heart that terrorism will not win. Terrorism can never break us apart. Terrorism will never achieve its aim of leading us back into conflict and violence”. It stressed.

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Jos Bombings: Terrorism cannot break us apart: Plateau residents