For over 30 years, Plateau State has grappled with violent attacks and bloodshed, with communities bearing the brunt of incessant killings, displacement, and destruction. Despite efforts by peace-loving citizens to shift the narrative, recent developments suggest a more sinister agenda may be at play.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has decried the ongoing violence as a calculated genocide aimed at dispossessing indigenous people of their ancestral lands. Speaking during a recent media briefing, the Governor laid bare the grim realities facing Plateau communities and called for urgent national attention.
A Renewed Wave of Violence
After a period of relative calm, fresh attacks erupted in several local government areas, including Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu. In December 2023 alone, nearly 200 people were killed in coordinated attacks across more than 20 villages.
In a renewed wave of violence, over 50 lives were lost in the communities of Ruwi, Hurti, Daffo, Josho, Mangor, Tamiso, Tadai, and Rewienku bringing the total death toll to approximately 250 since 2023.
In Hurti, a community in Manguna District, gunmen reportedly stormed the area on motorcycles, looting homes, stealing foodstuffs, and setting properties ablaze. Dozens were killed, and hundreds displaced.
“This is Genocide, Not Reprisal” – Governor Mutfwang
Governor Mutfwang rejected narratives that the violence is rooted in reprisals or communal clashes. According to him, the nature and timing of the attacks often during crucial farming seasons suggest a deliberate strategy to disrupt livelihoods and displace communities.
“These are not retaliatory attacks,” the Governor emphasized. “They are premeditated acts of terror aimed at destabilizing farming communities to seize fertile lands rich in produce and mineral resources.”
He further explained that violence often coincides with the start of the planting season, only to be followed by another wave during harvest a pattern that has repeated over the years.
Ex-MILAD Atukum: “Attackers Have Been Identified”
Adding weight to the Governor’s claims, retired Rear Admiral Samuel Atukum, former Military Administrator of old Plateau State, alleged that those responsible for the violence have already identified themselves. Citing a controversial press conference held in Kaduna, he pointed fingers at a coalition allegedly speaking on behalf of Fulani herdsmen.
“These attackers cannot hide under freedom of speech. We now know where to begin investigations,” Atukum asserted. “How can people who don’t belong to these communities have such control over the land?”
He also accused certain groups of using the herder-farmer narrative to disguise acts of terrorism, adding that weapons are being hidden in rocky hills where some of the attackers reside. Atukum called for these armed groups to be declared terrorists and demanded that those occupying deserted communities be held accountable.
A Call for Justice and Security Reform
Ambassador Nanpon Sheni, President of the Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), condemned the attacks as “cowardly and unprovoked.” He labeled the killings as acts of genocide and urged federal authorities to conduct full investigations.
“Our people are being slaughtered in their homes, driven from farmlands, and forced to live in constant fear,” Sheni said. “If the goal is to seize our ancestral lands, let it be known we will resist to the last man.”
To address the crisis, Governor Mutfwang has called for the urgent establishment of state police, with a preference for personnel indigenous to the affected communities. Rear Admiral Atukum echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for locally informed security forces who understand the terrain and context of the conflict.
A State in Crisis
With communities devastated, families displaced, and farmlands left unattended, Plateau State is at a critical juncture. The state government and community leaders are calling on the federal government, civil society, and international partners to intervene before the crisis escalates further.
The road to peace in Plateau may be long, but for the people of the state, justice, security, and the right to live freely on their ancestral land remain non-negotiable.
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