The Nigerian government could and should have prevented mass killings in Jos in September. As many as one thousand people are believed to have been killed in just six days as Jos, capital of Plateau State, was rocked by unprecedented violence between Christians and Muslims. The government should ensure investigations into the September massacres are thorough and impartial, and bring those responsible to justice, Human Rights Watch said. This 25-page report is based on eyewitness testimonies gathered during a visit to Jos in October 2001. Human Rights Watch describes how between September 7 and 13, 2001, the city of Jos became the scene of mass killing and destruction for the first time in its history. Christians and Muslims were both perpetrators and victims. In addition to the killings, thousands of houses and buildings were smashed or burnt; homes and businesses were looted; and some villages, such as Dilimi on the outskirts of Jos, were virtually razed to the ground.