Bandits Have Seized 64 Communities In Plateau — Governor Muftwang Cries Out

Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State has raised alarm over the growing insecurity in the state, revealing that no fewer than 64 communities have been taken over by bandits across three local government areas.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Governor Muftwang described the situation as a calculated effort to displace indigenous populations and permanently occupy their lands.

“These communities that have been recently attacked were also targeted in 2023,” he said. “They showed resilience and rebuilt, but the attacks have continued. Ruwi, for instance, lost about 17 people in 2023, yet they returned to rebuild.”

According to the governor, more than 50 people were killed within a single week in coordinated attacks on five communities, with over 300 homes set ablaze by suspected herdsmen. He said the attacks are not new, pointing to a decade-long trend of violence that has largely failed to receive sustained national attention.

“If these attacks have been going on for close to 10 years, it tells you that there is a deliberate, conscious attempt to clean out populations and to reopen,” he warned.

Governor Muftwang disclosed that the affected communities span Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas. “They have been taken over, renamed, and people are now living there conveniently on lands they forcefully took over,” he said.

In response to the violence, the Plateau State Government sent a delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government, Samuel Jatau, to assess the damage and deliver relief materials to affected victims.

Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser has visited the state, vowing that the federal government will end the cycle of killings and displacement.

The attacks have drawn widespread condemnation, with political figures including Peter Obi, Bukola Saraki, and Senator Shehu Sani calling for urgent and decisive action to secure Plateau communities and ensure justice for victims.