Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has raised the alarm over the escalating insecurity plaguing the state, declaring that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Plateau has remained under relentless attacks by bandits and terrorists.
He revealed that these criminal groups have now seized control of nearly all the state’s forests, game reserves, and grazing areas.
Speaking during a crucial stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday with prominent citizens of the state, Governor Mutfwang expressed deep concern over the grim intelligence reports that describe key areas, such as the Wase Grazing Reserve in Wase Local Government and the Pandam Games Reserve in Qua’Pan, as major operational bases for terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers.
“Today, no senatorial zone in this state is untouched by conflict,”; Mutfwang lamented. “In Wase, a grazing reserve that dates back to the Northern Nigeria era has not been accessible for more than a decade. Kanam is also under siege. The Pandam Games Reserve has turned into a den for kidnappers — a marketplace for ransom deals. Even recent kidnappings in Shendam trace back there.”;
The governor pointed out that aside from Langtang North and Langtang South in the Southern zone, virtually all other local government areas are experiencing frequent violent attacks.
He emphasized that these issues have persisted for over 20 years.
“In essence, Plateau is under siege,”; he said. “Why us? Who is behind this? Who is sponsoring them? What is their agenda? These are questions that demand answers — not from me alone, but from all of us.”;
Mutfwang criticized the long-standing disunity among the people of Plateau, which, he said, has allowed the crisis to persist. Initially perceived as isolated conflicts involving particular ethnic groups, the violence has now engulfed the entire state, yet the response remains fragmented.
He stressed the need to confront the “elephant in the room”; — the entrenched insecurity — before the state can experience meaningful progress.
Challenging the often-used “farmers-herders clashes”; narrative, Mutfwang asked: “How can bandits occupy a grazing reserve and someone calls it a clash? How do you explain heavily armed gunmen attacking villages on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Bokkos?”;
He called on all Plateau people to reject this “falsehood”; and speak with one voice, warning that silence and disunity may mislead national leaders into misunderstanding the situation on the ground.
“This is the moment to prove your love for Plateau. Not a time to throw anyone under the bus. There is time for politics in 2027. But if Plateau does not exist by then, who will we be campaigning for?”;
Governor Mutfwang then urged for unity and collective action to preserve the state's heritage and ensure future generations do not inherit a land lost to lawlessness.
“Let it not be during our time as leaders that the legacy of our forefathers is erased because we failed to stand together,”; he said.
