In a recent interview with Channels Television, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, made alarming revelations regarding the recent attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area, which claimed numerous lives and displaced several communities.
Governor Mutfwang categorically stated that the killings were not random acts of violence but rather part of a deliberate and well-coordinated campaign. He asserted, “I can tell you in all honesty that I cannot find any explanation other than genocide sponsored by terrorists.”
The governor expressed confidence that security agencies would soon unravel the identities of those responsible. “The killings in Bokkos are 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 put this matter behind us,” he said.
He further disclosed that at least sixty-four communities spanning Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas have been overtaken by armed bandits. These communities, he said, have been forcibly occupied, renamed, and settled by people who displaced the original inhabitants.
“As I am talking to you,” he noted, “there are not less than 64 communities that have been taken over by bandits on the Plateau… people are living there conveniently on lands they pushed others away from.”
Governor Mutfwang expressed deep concern about the inaction or insufficient response from relevant authorities regarding the persistent takeover of ancestral lands. He questioned the source and backing of such acts, which he described as acts of terror.
He stressed the need for security agencies to conduct thorough investigations and bring the masterminds to justice. “The question is, who are the persons behind the organisers of the terrorism? This is what the security agents must help us unravel,” he demanded.
The governor also challenged the prevailing narrative that frames the violence merely as herder-farmer clashes, insisting that the consistent pattern of attacks and occupation points to a broader, more coordinated agenda.
He emphasized the long-term implications of the crisis, warning that failure to act decisively could result in permanent loss of land, heritage, and identity for many communities.
Governor Mutfwang reiterated his administration’s commitment to peace, justice, and the safe return of displaced persons. He called on the federal government and security agencies to act swiftly and decisively.
According to him, this situation demands urgent attention and collective action. “This is beyond politics. This is about human lives, about justice, and about the soul of our state,” he declared solemnly.
