Nigeria’s Plateau state may be experiencing a period of calm after days of fighting, but analysts told RNW it won’t be long before trouble flares up again. With a death toll of more than 460 from four days of fighting, only the presence of thousands of troops on the streets of Jos is preventing the city from descending into chaos.

Riots between Christians and Muslims broke out in the central town of Jos on Sunday. Gangs wielding machetes and toting guns ran amok, killing hundreds and forcing thousands from their homes. Thousands of people have sought refuge in military barracks and churches.

Listen to an interview with Corinne Dufka of Human Rights Watch

Religious tension in the region has long been a problem but the bigger issue is that the government doesn’t do enough to resolve it, according to Human Rights Watch’s West Africa director Corinne Dufka:

“They have often had commissions of inquiry after these spates of violence, in which they come up with recommendations which aren’t implemented. Often the issues of impunity of actually investigating people and holding them accountable for the violence just isn’t part of the equation.”

The history of the Plateau province is key to the issues plaguing the region today. Nigeria is divided between a mainly Muslim north and a Christian south and Jos sits on the faultline between the two. Local journalist Ahmad Salkida says the two religions have always clashed:

“There is a rivalry between the Muslims and Christians in Jos. This is the bottom line. The Muslims are seen as settlers between the indigenous [Christians] of Jos. They believe they came in from the north to dominate the state and for that they have been called on… to move out of the state and leave the Christians to run their affairs without any interference.”

'Relative calm'

On Wednesday the government lifted a 24-hour curfew that had been imposed to avoid any further casualties. There is relative calm on the streets, according to Ahmad Salkida, but banks and shops remain closed and people are staying indoors:

“Even before Sunday everybody knew Jos was sitting on a timebomb because of the animosity going on there... There’s a wide gap. The government hasn’t done anything to bring people together, to reconcile…. Peace has a long way to go.”

'Vicious circle of violence'

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has appealed for everyone involved in the conflict to help find a peaceful solution, but there is growing frustration at the Nigerian government’s continuing failure to put an end to it Corinne Dufka says:

“We welcome the interim President’s statement recognising this is a vicious circle of violence – that’s very good – but now they really need to take concrete action and bring this to an end. Enough is really enough.”