JOS, Nigeria — Caleb Mutfwang, the Governor of Plateau State, has condemned the recent spate of killings and destruction in the region, describing the attacks as genocidal in nature and claiming they are being sponsored by terrorist groups.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Mutfwang expressed his outrage over the violence, which has left over 50 people dead and thousands displaced in recent weeks.
The governor was particularly distressed by the situation in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA), where multiple communities have been attacked, leaving behind a trail of devastation.
“I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists,” Mutfwang stated.
He further called on the security agencies to investigate the origins of the attacks, saying, “The question is, who are the persons behind the organisers of this terrorism? This is what the security agencies must help us to unravel.”
The governor’s comments come after a series of assaults on Plateau, which has been the site of recurring violence.
In recent weeks, these attacks have intensified, with a growing number of fatalities and displaced persons.
The violence is believed to have affected more than 64 communities, particularly in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom LGAs.
Mutfwang also warned that the situation is being fueled by external forces, describing the attacks as more than just conflicts over resources.
“This is being sponsored from somewhere,” he said, stressing that these are not isolated incidents but part of a larger agenda aimed at destabilising the region.
The ongoing violence has been linked to conflicts between farmers and herders in the state, with some attributing the clashes to resource scarcity.
However, Mutfwang insists that the current wave of attacks is not rooted in resource struggles but is a deliberate effort to sow terror and destabilise communities.
“There are not less than 64 communities that have been taken over by bandits on the Plateau between Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom local government areas,” he said.
“They have been taken over, renamed, and people are living there conveniently on lands they pushed people away to occupy.”
This latest surge in violence follows the tragic massacre of nearly 200 people during a Christmas attack on a predominantly Christian village in 2023, which further heightened tensions in the region.
Additionally, in May of the previous year, another 40 people were killed and homes burned in Wase town.
In response to the growing crisis, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Plateau earlier this week and vowed to take decisive action to end the killings.
Ribadu promised that security agencies would work together to address the situation and bring an end to the violence.
