Plateau state Governor Caleb Mutfwang has expressed concerns over the recent surge in violence plaguing the state, saying about 3000 human lives were lost in various crises spanning some years, in the Miango axis of the state.
The governor spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House.
At the meeting which had members of the National Assembly and community leaders, Mutfwang reaffirmed his commitment to Plateau’s welfare, highlighting a troubling trend of violent attacks that had put the state under siege, and leading to the loss of several lives in recent weeks.
Governor Mutfwang recalled the state’s descent into turmoil shortly after his inauguration on March 21, 2023, when heightened insecurity erupted in Mangu and Riyom local government areas.
“We woke up to a ruthless attack on Christmas Eve, which claimed not less than 150 lives in a single swoop,” he lamented, emphasising the pressing need for collective action to restore peace.
Mutfwang recalled previous instances of insecurity throughout the state’s history.
“…deaths that took place between 2015 to date. Many would be shocked to learn that nearly 3,000 people were lost, particularly in the Miango axis,” he asserted.
The governor said the menace of the most dangerous cultic group—Sarasuka—operating within Jos North LGA that has taken many lives will not be left untackled.
He urged the gathering to confront the narrative framing the unrest as merely a clash between farmers and herders.
“When gunmen attack defenseless communities with sophisticated weapons, what clash is that?” he queried.
Mutfwang called for unity among Plateau’s diverse communities, urging leaders to put aside political and ethnic differences to address the ongoing violence collaboratively.
“Our people are bleeding. We must rise together to preserve this blessed land,” he insisted, underscoring the necessity for collective action.
Governor Mutfwang said he welcomed suggestions from the gathering, reaffirming his dedication to ensuring that “not an inch of this land that God gave our forefathers is lost,” he said.
At the meeting however, the leadership of the herders in the state, was conspicuously absent.
And when contacted, the state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Babayo Ibrahim, said: “We are not aware of any stakeholders’ meeting; I was not invited to attend.”
…Protests rock Jos over killings
Meanwhile, there were pockets of protests in Jos, the state capital, on Monday morning following the spate of killings by gunmen.
The protesters marched to the Government House with placards having different inscriptions expressing their dissatisfaction with the breakdown of law and order in the state.
Led by Christian leaders including the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Polycarp Lubo, the protesters took off at the Fawvwei Junction community road, causing a momentary traffic jam.
A protester, Gyang Dalyop said: “We are not happy over the continuous attacks and killings by gunmen in our communities. That’s why we have come out again to protest these happenings.”
They pleaded with both the federal and state governments to nip the menace in the bud for peace to return to the state.