Gladness Gideon
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has tendered an emotional apology to the people of Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) following a deadly attack that left 51 residents dead in the early hours of Monday.
Speaking during a condolence visit to the palace of the Paramount Ruler of the Miango community on Tuesday, Governor Mutfwang admitted to the failure of both the government and security agencies in protecting lives and property.
“I have been crying since yesterday because I had trusted God that all the arrangements were put in place, that this will not happen again. We have made investments in security,” he said. “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 attack on Zikke community comes just two weeks after a similar assault in Bokkos LGA that also claimed dozens of lives. The renewed wave of violence adds to the long-standing security crisis plaguing the North-Central state, often linked to clashes over land and grazing resources.
Governor Mutfwang, accompanied by security chiefs and members of the state executive council, visited families of the victims and participated in burial rites for the deceased. He urged community members to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely information to prevent further bloodshed.
He further described the killings as “sponsored and genocidal,” noting that over 64 communities in Plateau have reportedly been overrun by armed groups.
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At the palace, the Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, Ronku Aka (Brangwe of Irigwe), called on the state government to provide basic social amenities and bolster efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the area.
While commiserating with the victims, Mutfwang reassured the people of the state’s commitment to ending the violence and restoring displaced communities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier condemned the killings and ordered security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The Plateau crisis, which has persisted for decades, continues to exact a heavy toll on rural communities, despite numerous peace efforts and security interventions.