Hundreds of Christians were massacred in Nigeria’s troubled Jos region on Sunday, in fresh clashes with Muslims. Now calm has returned.

Jos is on the border between the mainly Muslim north and Christian south of the country and has been the scene of repeated bloodshed since 2000. 

We don’t sleep. They say we should stay indoors because our security is threatened. But while we were indoors, other people were slaughtered somewhere, so how can you feel safe? If you are a Christian, you will be scared to go to areas that are predominantly Muslim, and vice-versa.

Peter (30) is a law student at the University of Jos and a presenter at a local radio station. He answered our questions but insisted that we not reveal his name.

What is the reason behind the massacres?
I still do not want to agree that the basis to the violence is religion. I think it has a political undertone. I think there are people who want to destabilise the government of the present governor. There are some rich people, political heads who are feeding it, using jobless youths to carry our their own acts.

It’s political. In every country you must have opposition, but when the opposition does not benefit, they will try to create issues to destabilise government.

It’s unfortunate that until now nobody has been arrested and brought to book.

Why do you think there is still impunity?
I think that most of (those responsible for the violence) are the rich ones who feel they are untouchable. They’ve got friends. People who know their names might be scared of being killed if they talk, or that their jobs might be threatened.

How do you explain the extreme violence?
We are also shocked at what is happening. We never thought this could happen in the Plateau region and in Jos. The killings have been terrible. Pregnant women slaughtered, it’s been barbaric, very inhuman, on both sides.

Is the term genocide being used?
What happened on Sunday was ethnic cleansing, because an entire hamlet was slaughtered. Only a few managed to run away. So isn’t that genocide?

What is the situation now?
It is calm. There is a little tension here and there, but people are moving around. Life is normal, the banks are open, commercial activities are moving on.

What is being done to prevent a further escalation of violence?

The acting president has asked a special committee to look for a lasting solution. If they turn out to be as credible they say they are, I think something reasonable may come out of it. I hope they will be fair and just in their findings. The acting president has asked the government to make sure that the perpetrators are judged.

No matter how highly placed in society, if the culprits are brought out and dealt with in accordance with the law, there will be no future violence.

How have the local media responded to the massacres?
The media said that we should stop panicking and go about our normal business. At Jos FM where I work, we try to tell people that we are one, regardless of religion, regardless of your tribe of your ethnic background , We are brothers, we should respect the sanctity of life. All over Nigeria, media have all condemned what happened in Jos, they preach the same that we preach here.

Why do you want to remain anonymous?
It’s a sensitive issue, you understand. Someone, somewhere might not like my own side of the story, because everybody has his perception. Somebody might be upset with what I say and I’m just scared.

Read the International Justice Tribune 101