On September 7, 2001, a street altercation in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, escalated into a deadly communal clash that left more than 1,000 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.
According to Red Cross sources, the violence began around 2:00 p.m. on Friday near Angwan Rogo junction.
A Christian woman attempted to cross a street that had been barricaded for Friday prayers outside a mosque.
Witnesses said an argument broke out between her and a group of Muslim youths. Within minutes, the argument turned violent. Stones were thrown, followed by machetes and gunfire.
Students at the University of Jos were also caught up in the crisis. Locals reported that students were trapped on campus overnight as mobs attacked university gates with bows, arrows, and locally made guns.
Community leaders, however, pointed to a deeper trigger. In June 2001, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, a Hausa Muslim, was appointed as local coordinator of the federal poverty alleviation program. The appointment was protested by “indigene” groups, who are predominantly Christian. They argued the position should have gone to one of their own.
In response to the escalating violence, Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye declared a 24-hour curfew on Saturday. Soldiers were deployed to major junctions across Jos, but residents said attacks continued into the night.
