Nigeria’s Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang broke down in tears on Tuesday, apologising to residents for the government’s inability to prevent yet another deadly attack that claimed the lives of over 50 people.
Governor Mutfwang issued the apology during a visit to the Zikke community in Bassa Local Government Area, the site of the most recent attack, as seen in a video shared by local broadcaster Channels TV.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, left the community in mourning as armed terrorists stormed the area, killing dozens, razing homes, and displacing hundreds, barely two weeks after a similar attack in Bokkos LGA resulted in the death of scores.
“I will tell you the truth: I myself, I have been crying since yesterday because I had trusted God that all the arrangements we had been put in place, that this would not happen again.
“We have made investments in security,” Governor Mutfwang said during a visit to the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Miango.
“But like all human arrangements, sometimes they fail. I want to admit that on Sunday night into Monday morning, we failed you. Please, forgive me.”
The governor, accompanied by security chiefs and members of the state executive council, visited the grieving community to commiserate with the families of the victims and assess the scale of destruction.
He appealed to the people to remain vigilant and assist security agencies by providing timely intelligence that could help prevent future attacks.
The Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, His Royal Highness Ronku Aka, who holds the title of Brangwe of Irigwe, urged the state to urgently intervene with relief materials and restore essential amenities to affected communities.
Governor Mutfwang also visited some of the bereaved families whose loved ones were buried after the massacre.
The grieving residents demanded swift and decisive action to stem what many described as an ongoing wave of genocidal violence.
Reacting to the renewed bloodshed, President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks and directed security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He described the killings as “heinous” and vowed that those behind them would not go unpunished.
While the Plateau crisis has historically been linked to disputes between farmers and herders over land and resources, Governor Mutfwang expressed a more ominous concern, describing the violence as “sponsored and genocidal.”
He revealed that more than 64 communities in the state have been forcibly taken over by armed groups.
The North-Central state has endured years of sectarian and ethnic violence, but the latest attacks have heightened fears that peace remains elusive despite government assurances and security investments.
INSECURITY AND VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
For more than a decade, civilians in Nigeria have faced multiple security threats and risk of atrocities as result of attacks, kidnappings and extortion by various non-state armed groups.
Armed groups and gangs, including so-called “bandits,” have – for many years – perpetrated widespread atrocities, including murder, rape, kidnapping, organized cattle-rustling and plunder. Armed herdsmen are also destroying vast swaths of farmland, prompting many farmers to abandon their land out of fear of attack.
Follow the KOIKIMEDIA NEWS 🗞️ CHANNEL on WhatsApp