Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has sounded a fresh alarm over the scale and persistence of insecurity in the state, revealing that nearly 12,000 people have been killed between 2001 and May 2025, and at least 420 communities have suffered attacks, resulting in mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and deepening humanitarian crises.

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Coordinated and Sustained Attacks

Speaking at the North-Central Zonal Public Hearing of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on the National Security Summit in Jos, Mutfwang (represented by Deputy Ngo Josephine Piyo) said the attacks were often deliberate, coordinated, and sustained, driven by economic, political, territorial, and religious interests.

He also noted that criminal networks exploit mining sites across Plateau, using proceeds from illegal operations to purchase arms and drugs, despite ongoing government enforcement efforts.

“It is time to stop comparing casualty figures across ethnic or religious divides. It is time to unite, join hands, and confront this menace collectively,” Mutfwang urged.

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Calls for Government Accountability

The Governor questioned whether governments at all levels have fulfilled their constitutional responsibilities under Section 14(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the security and welfare of the people as a primary purpose of government.

The summit, organized by the 10th Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, brought together federal lawmakers, security experts, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, and community representatives to deliberate on the region’s pressing security challenges.

Senator Abba Moro, leading the North-Central delegation, highlighted that insecurity is driven by:

• Insurgency and banditry
• Farmer–herder conflicts
• Kidnapping and militancy
• Arms proliferation
• Environmental degradation and youth unemployment
• Unresolved historical grievances

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Recommendations from Stakeholders

• PIDAN (Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives) called for protection of native land rights, respect between settlers and hosts, and adherence to constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
• Reverend Gideon Para-Mallam advocated for constitutional decentralization of security, including national, state, local government, and community policing, alongside a national resettlement program for internally displaced persons.
• Stakeholders also urged criminalization of land grabbing and stronger enforcement to reclaim farmlands.

The summit, chaired by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, aims to use collective insights to guide legislative interventions, budgetary decisions, and policy reforms to strengthen security in Plateau State and the wider North-Central region.