Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has condemned the recent killings in the state, describing them as acts of genocide allegedly sponsored by terrorist groups. He made the statement during an interview on Politics Today, a political program aired by Channels Television on Tuesday.
The governor expressed deep anger and sorrow over the March 28, 2025, attacks in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas (LGAs), where at least 52 people, including women and children, lost their lives. The attackers, believed to be armed herders, struck several communities, leaving homes in ruins and residents in mourning.
“I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists,” Governor Mutfwang said during the interview.
He stressed that the violence witnessed in the affected areas was not random or accidental but carefully planned with the goal of wiping out entire communities.
“The question is, who are the persons behind the organisers of this terrorism? This is what the security agencies must help us to unravel,” he added.
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Governor Mutfwang insisted that the scale and method of the attacks indicate the involvement of highly organised and well-funded groups. He said it was unlikely that ordinary individuals acting on their own could carry out such deadly and coordinated strikes.
“This is being sponsored from somewhere, and I am sure that in the coming days, the security agencies will work together—not at cross-purposes but in unison—to be able to bring out the requisite intelligence that will help us to put this matter behind us,” the governor stated.
The March 28 attacks sent shockwaves across Nigeria and drew condemnation from civil society groups, religious leaders, and international observers. Survivors reported that heavily armed men stormed their villages in the dead of night, setting houses on fire and shooting anyone in sight.
“They came while we were sleeping. I heard gunshots and ran with my children. My husband didn’t make it,” said Rebecca Gwom, a grieving widow from a community in Bokkos LGA.
Security agencies have since increased patrols in the region, but many residents say they still live in fear.
Ayuba Dachung, a youth leader in Bassa said, “We want peace. We want the government to protect us. We are tired of burying our people every month.”
Governor Mutfwang has repeatedly called for stronger federal action and better coordination among security forces to tackle the rising wave of violence in Plateau and other parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
In a statement issued by the Plateau State Government earlier this week, Mutfwang urged President Bola Tinubu and national security agencies to treat the attacks as acts of terrorism and not simply communal clashes.
“These are deliberate acts to displace and destroy our communities. They should not be treated with levity,” the statement read.
Human rights groups have also echoed the governor’s concerns, with several demanding a full investigation into the attacks and the arrest of those behind the killings.
Angela Danladi, a spokesperson for the Centre for Justice and Peacebuilding said, “What is happening in Plateau is systematic violence aimed at erasing entire communities. We urge the government to stop treating this as normal and take swift action.”
As Plateau State continues to mourn its dead, Governor Mutfwang said his administration would not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice and peace returns to the troubled areas.
He said, “We owe it to the people to protect them. We owe it to the dead to get justice. This cannot continue.”