Plateau Governor Vows Action After Fresh Attacks Leave Dozens Dead

Governor Caleb Mutfwang has promised decisive and far-reaching action to prevent a recurrence of the violence that has rocked the region in recent weeks.

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the governor confirmed that over 100 armed assailants stormed a community in Bassa Local Government Area around midnight on April 14, unleashing a wave of destruction. The coordinated assault resulted in numerous deaths and widespread property damage, deepening the state’s already fragile security situation.

“This is a heartbreaking and senseless loss of lives,” Mutfwang said. “We’ve received detailed briefings from security agencies and are working urgently to understand what happened — and more importantly, why — so we can respond with the full weight of the law.”

In response to the attack, the Plateau State government convened an expanded security council meeting on Monday, bringing together top security officials and local government chairmen. According to the governor, calm has been restored to the affected communities, and efforts are now underway to prevent retaliatory violence.

“We have engaged with the community and urged residents not to take the law into their own hands,” Mutfwang said. “We are thankful that the youths heeded our appeal.”

The governor added that his administration is evaluating comprehensive security measures and will outline a detailed action plan in a public address scheduled for Tuesday.

“I want to reassure the people of Plateau that we are fully in control. We are ready to take every necessary step to ensure this never happens again,” he stated. “Every piece of intelligence, no matter how small, could save lives — and we’re committed to protecting all informants.”

Mutfwang also emphasized the importance of improving intelligence gathering and security coordination, calling it a top priority in the fight to protect lives and restore peace.

In his remarks, the governor offered prayers for the victims and their families, saying, “We ask God to comfort those who are grieving in this tragic time.”

The human rights organization Amnesty International reported Monday that the death toll from the latest attack had reached 54, with hundreds displaced and many residents now living in fear of further violence.

National leaders have begun to weigh in. President Bola Tinubu has urged Governor Mutfwang to confront the longstanding communal tensions that often fuel violence in Plateau, while former Minister of Sports Solomon Dalung blamed the spread of criminal gangs across the country on the government’s prolonged focus on the war on terror in the northeast.