An Overview of Public Perception of Internal Security Management of Jos Crises 2001-2014.

Abstract

This paper attempt to know the perception of the residents of Jos metropolis on the internal security management of Jos crises from 2001-2014 the years that witnessed the violent expression of ethno-religious and political crises and the implication for the recurring breach of peace in the state capital and environs. The growing erosion of internal security in Jos and the responses it elicited from the people raise several pertinent questions regarding the management of internal security in Nigeria and Jos in particular. Previous studies were undertaken to unearth the causes,effects of the violent bouts and the way out but none of the researches attempted to assess the perception of residents on the security strategies adopted to curtail the crises, which has become intractable, and is characterized as political and ethno-religious mainly between Christian category and Muslims category.The continuous manipulations of these socially constructed categories trigger and drive violence in the city which created anoverwrought atmosphere of anxiety, hostility and suspicion. The immediate response from the Federal and Plateau State Governments to the violent unrests has been the deployment of military forces in addition to the Police, and the setting up of commissions of enquiry. The paper adopted explanatory type of research and relied on secondary data. After a carefully analysis, the paper recommends amongst others; a review of the 1999 constitutional provisions on citizenship to address the issue of indigene/settler dichotomy, the strengthening of the security architecture not only in Jos but throughout the country and the implementation of some recommendations of various commissions of inquiry on crises that rocked Jos.