Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, in a television interview, monitored by Marie-Therese Nanlong spoke about the persistent security challenges in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state. He described the recent attacks resulting in the loss of lives and property as a deliberate act of genocide aimed at land grabbing. He however commended President Bola Tinubu for his political will in responding to the crisis and ensuring the restoration of law and order in the state.
There are reports that the death toll may have risen to over 60. What are the actual figures?
I thank Nigerians for their outpouring of sympathy and concern over these dastardly attacks. The statistics you’ve mentioned are not far from what we have.

However, we are being cautious not to speculate. Some corpses have just been discovered in the bushes, as many fled for safety during the attacks. We’re taking proper stock and will release verified figures soon on casualties, deaths, and houses burnt. That said, we have intensified surveillance, increased security personnel and deployed more assets to the affected areas. I want to acknowledge the concern shown by President Tinubu, even while abroad, he has consistently reached out.

The Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the National Security Adviser, and the Inspector General of Police have all been involved. Today, we received additional security personnel and resources. The DIG Operations is on the ground, coordinating efforts to repel these forces of terror.

Can you give us a clearer picture of what exactly is happening on the Plateau? We witnessed similar events in December 2023. Who are these attackers, and what is their intent?

Let me put this in proper context. This latest attack began in Ruwi, a community near the local government headquarters. The people were observing a wake, mourning the death of a loved one, when they were suddenly attacked. It wasn’t even in the dead of the night; it happened late in the afternoon. There were no provocations or prior incidents to justify such violence. These attacks weren’t reprisal in nature.

Given this pattern, I have no choice but to conclude that these are terrorist organizations deliberately targeting our people. The land in question is very fertile, rich in food produce and mineral deposits. We’ve observed a pattern over the years: at the beginning of the farming season, communities are attacked and destabilized so that they can’t plant. If they manage to farm, another wave of attacks occurs during harvest. We’ve been intervening to help communities resist such intimidation. We’ve deployed Agro-Rangers from the Civil Defence Corps, equipped them with motorcycles and armed them to protect farmers.

This strategy contributed to a stretch of relative peace since December 2023. Unfortunately, this current attack has shattered that peace. Some of these attackers disguise themselves as herdsmen, moving cattle as cover, while carrying sophisticated arms. This raises serious questions about their real motives. However, the national outrage this time may be a turning point. A few arrests have been made, and we hope these will lead to valuable intelligence.

We’ve worked hard to promote communal harmony and to a large extent, we’ve succeeded. But this attack is devastating, and we’re doing all we can to uncover the causes and secure lasting peace. Bokkos was similarly affected in December 2023, with Barkin-Ladi, and now again.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/why-security-operatives-cant-stop-terrorist-attacks-in-plateau-gov-mutfwang/