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Jos Indigeneity Debate Reignited as Court Judgment Revives Niki Tobi Commission Findings
The recent judgment of the Plateau State High Court recognizing Fatima Baba Akawu as an indigene of Jos North Local Government Area has reopened one of the most contentious and long-standing debates in Plateau State — the question of who qualifies as an indigene of Jos. While the ruling has sparked intense reactions across ethnic, political and religious divides, attention has increasingly shifted to the findings of the Justice Niki Tobi Judicial Commission of Inquiry, widely regarded as one of the most authoritative examinations of the historical roots of the Jos indigeneity question.
Established in the aftermath of the September 2001 Jos crisis, the commission was mandated to investigate the causes of the violence that claimed hundreds of lives and caused widespread destruction. In the course of its work, the panel reviewed historical records, colonial archives and testimonies from traditional rulers, historians, community leaders and various ethnic groups. One of its central conclusions was that the area now known as Jos was inhabited long before colonial rule and the advent of tin mining. According to the commission, the Berom, Afizere and Anaguta communities exercised traditional authority over the area and constitute the indigenous populations of Jos.
The commission rejected claims that Jos was founded by migrant communities or developed on previously unoccupied land, arguing instead that colonial expansion transformed an already existing indigenous settlement into a modern urban centre. While acknowledging the significant contributions of Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Tiv, Nupe and other migrant communities to the growth of Jos, the report maintained that economic and social contributions did not alter the historical ownership of the land. It further drew a distinction between citizenship, residence and indigeneity, emphasizing that indigene status within Nigeria’s administrative framework has traditionally been linked to ancestry and historical origin rather than duration of residence.
The debate has gained renewed momentum following Justice C. Donglong’s June 2026 ruling, which held that Fatima Baba Akawu, a Hausa woman born and raised in Jos North, was entitled to an indigene certificate based on her father’s status and circumstances of birth. The judgment also declared the issuance of residential certificates as an alternative to indigene certificates unlawful. While former Governor Jonah Jang and other stakeholders have argued that indigeneity must remain tied to historically recognized indigenous communities, Islamic scholar Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir has maintained that generations of residence and contribution to the development of Jos should be considered in determining belonging. As appeals loom and public debate intensifies, the Niki Tobi Commission’s findings remain a key reference point in discussions about identity, citizenship, indigeneity and peaceful coexistence in one of Nigeria’s most diverse cities.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said the country’s Lassa fever outbreak has become deadlier this year, with 221 deaths recorded and the case fatality rate rising to 24 per cent, compared with 18.7 per cent during the corresponding period in 2025.
The agency disclosed this in its Lassa fever situation report for epidemiological week 26, released on Friday.
The report also showed that confirmed infections increased during the week, with 31 new cases recorded, up from 22 in the previous reporting week.
A total of 23 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 111 local government areas this year, highlighting the continued spread of the disease across the country.
Five states account for most infections
The NCDC reported that 85 per cent of all confirmed cases originated from Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue states, while the remaining 15 per cent were reported elsewhere.
Ondo accounted for the largest share of confirmed infections at 30 per cent, followed by Bauchi (26 per cent), Taraba (14 per cent), Edo (nine per cent) and Benue (six per cent).
People aged 21 to 30 years remained the most affected group, although confirmed cases ranged from one to 93 years.
The male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stood at 1:0.9, indicating nearly equal infection rates between men and women.
Why deaths remain high
The NCDC attributed the elevated fatality rate to several persistent challenges, including late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour driven by the high cost of treatment, inadequate environmental sanitation in high-burden communities, low public awareness, and infections among healthcare workers.
The agency disclosed that one healthcare worker was infected during week 26.
Response efforts intensified
To contain the outbreak, the NCDC said the National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System remains activated to coordinate surveillance, case management, risk communication and response activities nationwide.
During the reporting week, the agency and its partners supported case management training for healthcare workers, active case search and contact tracing, infection prevention and control (IPC) training, community engagement activities, distribution of personal protective equipment, laboratory testing, and high-level field missions to affected states.
The NCDC urged state governments to sustain year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention, while healthcare workers were advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for the disease, initiate timely referral and treatment, and adhere strictly to infection prevention and control procedures.
READ ALSO: NCDC updates Lassa fever death rate to 19.3% as outbreak reaches 23 states
Lassa fever
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rats.
It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids.
The disease often begins with fever, weakness, and headache, and may progress to more severe symptoms such as bleeding, difficulty breathing, swelling, and organ failure.
Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with Ribavirin are critical for improving survival.
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