Jos is a small town in the Nigerian middle belt (population of 201,200, estimate for the year 1995). Sat atop a plateau (Jos plateau) it is the capital of the Plateau state and, as a consequence of its geography, enjoys weather a lot more temperate than the rest of Nigeria. In colonial times, and indeed until quite recently, Jos was a favourite holiday location for expatriates based in Nigeria.

The 21st Century has not been kind to Jos. Previously known in Nigeria as the "home of peace and tourism" the city witnessed violent riots between the muslim north and the christian south in which thousands of people have died. In 2004 the states governor Joshsua Dariye was suspended for 6 months for failing to keep a lid on the violence.