Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has raised alarm over the worsening security situation in the state, saying almost all 17 local government areas are under threat from armed bandits, kidnappers, and cult groups. He disclosed that key grazing reserves and forests across the state have been taken over by criminals who now use them as safe havens.
The governor made this known during an expanded stakeholders meeting held at the Government House in Jos. The meeting, which included religious leaders, traditional rulers, political actors, and civil society groups, came shortly after hundreds of Christian leaders and faithful under the Church Leaders Denominational Forum marched in a peaceful protest against continued killings in the state.
Governor Mutfwang called on stakeholders to join him in the collective struggle to “redeem Plateau’s heritage” and stop the bloodshed that has turned many communities into mourning grounds.
The governor recounted the series of attacks that have plagued the state since his assumption of office in May 2023. He revealed that two days after his inauguration, he convened a Security Council meeting to address lingering insecurity, and there was a temporary lull in violence. However, the peace was shattered on Christmas Eve 2023, when gunmen launched coordinated attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area, killing over 150 people within three days — on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
“From January 2024 till February 2025, we had only isolated incidents. But recently, the violence returned. First in Ruwi, Bokkos, then it spread to Bassa, where over 100 people have died in the last few days,” Mutfwang said.
He also revealed that between 2015 and now, nearly 3,000 people have been killed in Bassa LGA alone, particularly around the Miango area, according to community records.
Governor Mutfwang expressed deep concern that bandits have taken over key forests and grazing reserves across the state. In Wase Local Government, he said, a grazing reserve that was developed since the era of Northern Nigeria is now completely inaccessible due to bandit occupation.
“Kanam is also under siege. Intelligence from Pandam in Qua’an Pan LGA is troubling — it has become a center for kidnapping and ransom transactions. Many abductions in Shendam have been linked to Pandam,” he said.
Other areas severely affected include Bokkos, Mangu, Pankshin, and Kanke, with growing cases of kidnapping and attacks. Even the relatively calm Jos North is dealing with violent cult groups like Sarasuka, which has claimed several lives.
“Border communities in Jos South, and areas like Riyom and Barkin Ladi, have also faced long-standing insecurity. The truth is, Plateau is under siege,” Mutfwang lamented.
He raised several critical questions: “Why Plateau? Who is behind this? Where are they coming from? Who is sponsoring them? What is their aim?”
Governor Mutfwang challenged the widely held national narrative that the crisis in Plateau is simply a clash between farmers and herders.
“When I came on board, that was the dominant story — that this is a farmers-herders clash. But is that true? How do you call it a clash when bandits occupy the Wase grazing reserve or hide in the forests of Kanam? What clash happened in Bokkos on Christmas Eve when innocent people were slaughtered in their homes?” he questioned.
He urged stakeholders to reject what he described as a misleading narrative and called for unity across religious and ethnic lines.
“I look forward to a day when, regardless of religion or tribe, we all speak with one voice when any part of Plateau is attacked,” he said. “What is happening here is genocide perpetrated by terrorists.”
Earlier, Christian leaders led hundreds of worshippers in a peaceful protest to the Government House in Jos. Dressed in black, red, and white, the protesters marched from Fwavei Junction in Rayfield to Little Rayfield where the Government House is located.
The protest was led by key Christian figures including the Chairman of the Plateau State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo; President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Amos Mohzo; Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Pastor Dunga Gomwalk; and Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam of the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation.
In his address, Rev. Mohzo condemned the killings as “unprovoked, horrific, and barbaric” acts against innocent communities.
“These brutal acts are a serious violation of human rights and a stain on Nigeria’s conscience,” he said. “We protest to honour the dead and to demand an end to these killings across Nigeria.”
He explained that the protest colours were symbolic: black for mourning, red to call attention to the killings, and white to represent peace and the rejection of violence.
Governor Mutfwang expressed appreciation to the stakeholders who attended the meeting despite their diverse backgrounds. He said the state needs to unite now more than ever to protect its people and restore peace.
“Let us hold each other’s hands instead of throwing one another under the bus,” he said, while warning against attempts by some political actors to mislead President Bola Tinubu about the true situation in Plateau.
“Some may try to paint us as the aggressors or the intolerant ones. But the truth is clear: our communities are under attack, and we must stand together to resist this.”
The governor reiterated his openness to suggestions and dialogue but stressed that Plateau people must be bold in speaking the truth and defending their land.
“This land is a gift from God. It is our duty to preserve it and make it safe for future generations,” he concluded.
Plateau State has, for years, faced recurring violence blamed on land disputes, religious tensions, and criminal gangs. Attacks on villages, mass killings, and displacement have left thousands dead and many more homeless.
While previous administrations attempted dialogue and security operations, the crisis has continued, with periods of calm followed by renewed violence. The rise of banditry and kidnapping across Northern Nigeria has only made the situation worse.
