In Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria
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HUMAN “Leave Everything to God” RIGHTS Accountability for Inter-Communal Violence WATCH in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria “Leave Everything to God” Accountability for Inter-Communal Violence in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria Copyright © 2013 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-0855 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org DECEMBER 2013 978-1-62313-0855 “Leave Everything to God” Accountability for Inter-Communal Violence in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria Summary and Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 1 Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 32 I. Background: Religion, Ethnicity, and Power in Nigeria ............................................................... 34 History of Conflict in Plateau State ...................................................................................................... 37 History of Conflict in Kaduna State ..................................................................................................... 39 II. Inter-Communal Violence in Plateau State, 1994-2008 ............................................................... 41 1994 Jos Riots ..................................................................................................................................... 41 2001 Jos Crisis ................................................................................................................................... 42 2004 Yelwa Massacres ...................................................................................................................... 43 2008 Jos Violence ............................................................................................................................... 45 III. Renewed Communal Violence in Plateau State, 2010-2013 ....................................................... 48 The January 2010 Jos Violence ............................................................................................................ 48 The March 2010 Dogo Nahawa Massacre ............................................................................................ 65 Other Attacks on Berom ..................................................................................................................... 68 Renewed Violence in Jos and Southern Plateau State .......................................................................... 71 IV. Impunity for the 2010-2013 Violence in Plateau State .............................................................. 73 The Federal Attorney General Steps In ................................................................................................. 73 Federal and State Prosecutions for Renewed Violence ........................................................................ 80 V. Inter-Communal Violence in Kaduna State, 1987-2002 .............................................................. 82 1987 Kafanchan Violence ................................................................................................................... 82 1992 Zangon Kataf Violence ............................................................................................................... 83 2000 “Sharia Riots” ........................................................................................................................... 87 2002 “Miss-World” Riots ................................................................................................................... 88 VI. Deadly Post-Election Violence in Kaduna State in 2011 ............................................................. 90 Sectarian Violence in Northern Kaduna State ..................................................................................... 92 Sectarian Violence in Central Kaduna State ........................................................................................ 95 Sectarian Violence in Southern Kaduna State ..................................................................................... 97 Renewed Violence in Kaduna State, 2011-2013 .................................................................................. 109 VII. Impunity for the 2011 Post-Election Violence in Kaduna ......................................................... 112 VIII. The Legal Framework ............................................................................................................ 117 International Law .............................................................................................................................. 117 Federal and State Law ....................................................................................................................... 118 IX. The Anatomy of Impunity ........................................................................................................ 123 Failures at Time of Arrest ................................................................................................................... 123 Failure to Investigate: The Weak Link ................................................................................................. 128 Criminal Prosecutions: The Rare Exceptions ...................................................................................... 134 Commissions of Inquiry or Political Solutions Instead of Criminal Prosecutions .................................. 139 Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................... 146 Summary and Recommendations Human Rights Watch | December 2013 “Leave Everything to God” Accountability for Inter-Communal Violence in Plateau and Kaduna States, Nigeria A photograph of a baby found in the rubble of a house in Kuru Karama, Plateau State. © 2010 Susan Schulman A Christian woman, from the Hausa ethnic group, holds Alhaji Inuwa Liman, the chief imam of the central Obida Hildi, a pastor, killed in Bukuru, Plateau Afolalu Felix Olugbenga, a Christian from the Yoruba A Muslim woman, from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic A Christian man, from the Berom ethnic group, holds up photographs of her husband and son who were mosque in Zonkwa, Kaduna State. He was killed State, on January 19, 2010. ethnic group, was a lecturer at the Nuhu Bamalli group, holds up a photograph of her son killed up a photograph of his 17-year-old son who was shot killed during an April 18, 2011 attack on Ungwar Tuji during the April 18-19, 2011 violence in Zonkwa, © 2012 Private Polytechnic in Zaria, Kaduna State. He was killed by during the April 18-19, 2011 attack on Zonkwa, and killed during an attack on Gwanfil village, village, in Soba local government area, Kaduna State. Kaduna State. a mob that attacked the campus on April 18, 2011. Kaduna State. Plateau State, on September 9, 2011. © 2011 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch © 2011 Private © 2012 Private © 2011 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch © 2012 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch Hajiya Tine Abdullahi Wase, a Muslim woman A Christian woman, from the Berom ethnic group, A Muslim man, from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group, A Christian woman, from the Berom ethnic group, A Muslim woman, from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic Karos Nash, a 70-year-old Christian woman, from the from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group, was killed in holds up a photograph of her mother who was killed holds up a photograph of his son killed in the April holds up a photograph of her son who was killed in group, holds up a photograph of her husband who Berom ethnic group, was killed in the March 7, 2010 Kuru Karama, Plateau State, on January 19, 2010. in the March 7, 2010 attack on Dogo Nahawa, 18-19, 2011 violence in Zonkwa, Kaduna State. a February 22, 2011 attack on Bere Riti village, was killed on April 19, 2011 in Zonkwa, Kaduna State. attack on Dogo Nahawa, Plateau State. Her body was recovered from inside a well. Plateau State. © 2011 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch Plateau State. © 2011 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch © 2012 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch © 2012 Private © 2012 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch © 2012 Eric Guttschuss/Human Rights Watch Cecilia Pam, a 32-year-old Christian woman from the Ahmed Bako, a Muslim from the Anghan ethnic A Christian woman, from the Berom ethnic group, A Christian man, from the Berom ethnic group, A Christian woman, from the Berom ethnic group, A Muslim man, from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group, Berom ethnic group, was hacked to death along with group, was the district