- Security Under Scrutiny as Plateau Bleeds Again
- Governor to Security Forces: You’re Not Here for Peacekeeping
- Community in Mourning as 27 Farmers Killed in Cold Blood
Our Report | Jos
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has vowed to end the era of impunity by so-called “unknown gunmen”, following the latest round of deadly attacks on communities in the state. The governor made the declaration on Wednesday during a visit to Bindi-Jebbu in the Riyom Local Government Area, where at least 27 people, including women and children, were massacred by suspected Fulani militia on Monday.
The gruesome attack — one of the deadliest in recent months — has reignited concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Plateau State and the wider Middle Belt region, where ethno-religious and herder-farmer tensions have persisted for over a decade.
Governor Mutfwang, visibly angered by the scale and recurrence of such attacks, questioned the role and responsiveness of the security architecture in the state, particularly in light of pre-attack intelligence reports.
“It is very sad that we got intelligence for this attack, yet the attack still happened,” the governor said while addressing mourners and displaced residents.
“I’m calling on the security agencies to redouble their efforts; we need to reappraise our strategy and tactics.”
“No More Unknown Gunmen” — A New Tone from Leadership
Breaking from the now-familiar refrain of attributing mass killings to “unknown gunmen”, Mutfwang declared that such language and excuses must end. His statement represents a shift in tone, signalling the state government’s intent to hold perpetrators accountable — and, crucially, to name them.
“How can people come and attack and kill others in their homes and we still say they are not known?
The perpetrators must be arrested. The era of ‘unknown gunmen’ is over.”
The governor reminded security operatives that their mandate was not merely symbolic but fundamental to protecting the lives and property of citizens.
“Let me remind our security agencies again: you are not here for peacekeeping; you are here to defend the lives and property of Nigerians.
Anybody threatening the lives of Nigerians is an enemy of the state and must be dealt with accordingly.”
A Grim and Repeated Tragedy
Monday’s attack is the latest in a disturbing pattern of violence that continues to haunt Plateau’s rural communities. Despite peace-building initiatives and the presence of military and paramilitary personnel, entire villages in Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, and now Riyom LGAs have remained exposed to attacks by armed groups, often labelled as “herders” or “bandits”.
The Bindi-Jebbu incident saw families decimated and farmlands destroyed in what community leaders have described as a campaign of “slow genocide”.
Security experts have pointed to the failure of intelligence-to-action mechanisms, a lack of prosecution, and under-resourced local policing as some of the core issues perpetuating the crisis.
Government Support and Mass Burials
Governor Mutfwang also promised immediate support for survivors and families of victims. He announced that coordinated mass burials would be conducted in honour of the slain, describing the attack as “a deep wound on the conscience of the nation.”
“These people were farmers. They were contributors to our economy, not criminals. This must not continue.”
A Call for National Attention
The Plateau killings come at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security crises — from insurgency in the North-East to kidnapping and banditry in the North-West and parts of the South.
Civil society organisations and community leaders are calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to prioritise the protection of rural communities and implement a national strategy that addresses both the root causes and symptoms of violence in the Middle Belt.
As investigations commence and the nation awaits justice for the victims, Governor Mutfwang’s bold declaration — “The era of unknown gunmen is over” — will now be tested not by words, but by actions.