Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has called on stakeholders to unite with him in the ongoing battle to restore peace and protect the heritage of the state, as nearly all of its 17 local government areas are grappling with insecurity.
Speaking at an expanded stakeholders meeting at the Government House in Jos, the governor addressed a diverse group of attendees, including representatives from various ethnic, political, and religious backgrounds.
The meeting came shortly after Christian leaders, under the Church Leaders Denominational Forum, organized a peaceful protest to condemn the continuous attacks and killings in Plateau’s villages.
Before the meeting transitioned to a closed-door session, Governor Mutfwang thanked the attendees for their support and commitment to the cause, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in safeguarding the state’s future.
He urged them to join forces in reclaiming and nurturing the land for the generations to come.
He stated, “In recent weeks, Plateau has once again found itself at the center of national discussions, but sadly for all the wrong reasons. A mere two days after my inauguration, I convened a Security Council meeting, where we had in-depth conversations with community leaders.
“The situation seemed to calm down for a while, until the horrific attacks on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day of 2023 in Bokkos, which resulted in the loss of no fewer than 150 lives in one devastating blow.”
He continued, “From January 2024 to February 2025, although there were sporadic incidents, nothing came close to the scale of what we’ve seen recently. First in Ruwi, Bokkos, and then across other parts of the state, with the violence eventually reaching Bassa Local Government Area just over 10 days ago. To date, we estimate that over 100 lives have been lost.”
The governor also highlighted the alarming statistics from Bassa, where community leaders have documented nearly 3,000 deaths from attacks spanning from 2015 to the present, particularly in the Miango area.
“There is no senatorial zone in Plateau that hasn’t been affected by conflict,” Mutfwang added. “Take Wase, for example. A grazing reserve that was established during the Northern Nigeria period is now completely inaccessible, overtaken by bandits.”
