Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang has said the continuous and sustained attacks in communities in the state should not be described as conflicts between herders and farmers but as genocide against the Plateau natives.
Governor Mutfwang, expressed the state’s commitment to the fight against insecurity, saying the Plateau spirit of peace, unity, and hospitality remains unbroken.
Recall that no fewer than 52 persons including children were killed on Friday, 28th March, 2025, after suspected herders attacked communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas, LGAs, and their environs of the State.
A statement by Governor Mutfwang’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, said the governor spoke during the Experience Plateau: Art Meets Fashion in Abuja, saying “In the last week, Bokkos Local Government Area has come under renewed attack by murderers who are desperate to break our spirit. Many advised that we suspend this function, but we realized that these attackers intend to keep us in perpetual mourning, to force us indoors, and to shackle our collective spirit.
“But I said no, life must go on. Plateau must move forward by the grace of God. The genocide on the Plateau will come to an end. What is happening is not a farmer-herder conflict. Let me be clear: it is genocide, and I urge the international community to take note. We know there are powerful forces behind these atrocities. By the grace of God, we will expose them and bring them to justice. Plateau remains a land of peace and hospitality. Our communities will continue to welcome visitors.
“No one will rewrite that narrative. Some of our people were slaughtered while observing a wake; others were murdered in their sleep. May their blood cry out for justice, and may God grant them eternal rest.
“Plateau is blessed with vast opportunities in tourism, agriculture, horticulture, a clement climate, and recreational activities that can drive economic growth. Our administration is committed to finding innovative and sustainable ways to tell the Plateau story through culture, tourism, enterprise, and strategic partnerships.
In partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the State is taking deliberate steps to revive skill acquisition for rural artisans, empower young creatives, and upgrade local textile infrastructure,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Governor Mutfwang has assured the people of Bokkos LGA, that perpetrators of the killings in the state including the recent one on Friday will be fished out.
The Governor who gave the assurance while briefing indigenes of the state in Abuja, on ongoing efforts to address the insecurity said “We will no longer allow those arrested for crimes in our communities to walk free. I will pursue, and ensure the prosecution of, all whose hands are stained with the blood of our people. They will face the full wrath of the law.
“I want to assure you that the lives lost in Bokkos will not be in vain. Some advised that we cancel this meeting due to the tragic circumstances, but after wide consultations with our leaders both at home and in the diaspora, we decided to forge ahead.
“Since the December 2023 attacks, we had begun reclaiming our identity as the Home of Peace and Tourism. For over a year, we recorded no major incident. But these attacks are clearly orchestrated, deliberate attempts to impoverish and intimidate our people at the start of every farming season.
“Let it be known: we will farm this year. No amount of intimidation will stop us. I appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and support from Nigerians across the country. I’ve had deep consultations with security chiefs and I want to assure the people of Plateau State that everything possible will be done to protect lives and property.”
Tribe laments threat of extinction
Reacting to the attacks, Irigwe people of the Bassa LGA raised the alarm over the sustained attacks in the communities, lamenting that they are on the verge of extinction due to the level of killings since 2001.
The President of the Irigwe Development Association, IDA, Rev. Daniel Gya, the General Secretary, Danjuma Auta, and the Public Relations Officer, Samuel Jugo, in a statement in Jos, disclosed that an independent research conducted by Gastor Barrie, from 2001 to March 2025 shows that a total of 2,866 attacks have occurred resulting in 1,107 deaths, 412 injuries, 20,836 rooms destroyed, 742 barns and 27,330 farms also destroyed while most of the victims are still languishing in abject poverty, unable to fend for their families.
The statement said “While we appreciate governments’ efforts, both at Federal and State levels, to restore peace in the country, we regret to bring to the notice of the public that killings have continued persistently in our communities. The Rigwe nation, predominantly found in Kwall and Miango towns in the Bassa and Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State and the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, North, has continued to be in the news for the wrong reasons.
Northern CAN condemns kllings
On its part, the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, condemned in the killings in Bokkos LGA and demanded government action.
It commiserated with the Governor of Plateau State and the people of the state over what the group described as “yet another senseless bloodshed”.
In a statement by the Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, the association said it was completelyunacceptable, barbaric and tragic, an attack that left at least 52 people dead, saying “We condemn in totality this strange and evil culture of taking human lives. Hiding under religion, ethnicity, or any guise to unleash terror on communities is unacceptable. Our societal value for human life has dangerously eroded, and this must not be allowed to continue.
“This bloodletting must stop. We urge security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime and ensure they face the full weight of the law”.
