Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has said the security situation in Jos has been brought under control following days of violence, even as President Bola Tinubu prepares to visit the state in response to the killings.
Mr Mutfwang, who spoke after a meeting with the president, described the Sunday night attack in Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area as “barbaric” and “an act of terrorism,” noting that security agencies had since stabilised the situation.
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“What happened on Sunday evening was quite unfortunate, but the situation has been brought under control now. We’ve been able to evacuate corpses to the mortuary. Some families have already buried their dead,” the governor said.
The latest comments come amid continuing tension in parts of Jos North, where residents earlier reported fresh unrest, including panic in Nassarawa Gwom and surrounding communities.
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PREMIUM TIMES reported that residents fled their homes following gunshots and unverified claims of attacks near a church, although security operatives were later deployed.
Mr Mutfwang said the state government had imposed a curfew to contain the violence, which was partially relaxed but later tested by renewed disturbances.
“We imposed a curfew, which we relaxed this morning from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., but unfortunately there were some looters who tried to disrupt the peace again. I’m glad that security forces were able to calm the situation as at 12 noon,” he said.
The governor’s remarks align with earlier statements by his media aide, Gyang Bere, who told PREMIUM TIMES that security had been reinforced across Jos and that authorities were reviewing the curfew in light of new developments.
However, residents have continued to question official assurances, citing recurring violence and what they describe as delayed or insufficient security response.
Earlier reports by PREMIUM TIMES documented accounts of panic, killings, and reprisals following the initial attack, as well as criticism over the handling of the crisis.
Tinubu to visit Jos
In a related development, President Bola Tinubu has postponed a planned trip to Ogun State and will instead visit Jos to commiserate with victims of the attacks.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s visit is part of a broader four-state itinerary and reflects concern over the killings in Plateau.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today postponed his scheduled trip… and will head to Jos… to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent gun attacks,” the statement said.
The presidency added that Mr Tinubu is also considering further engagements with state authorities following his earlier meeting with Mr Mutfwang in Abuja.
The governor said he briefed the president on the situation and proposed steps to address the crisis, noting that some measures had already received federal approval.
READ ALSO: Tension in Jos as Muftwang relaxes curfew without adequate security deployment
“I briefed him firsthand about what actually happened and the steps we have taken. The president has agreed that those steps should be taken,” Mr Mutfwang said.
He added that the president was personally affected by the incident and was considering a visit to show solidarity with the people of Plateau.
‘Act of terrorism’
Mr Mutfwang said investigations into the attack were ongoing but noted that authorities had yet to apprehend the perpetrators.
“In a crisis of this nature, you can’t reduce it to one reason. It’s a mixture of multiple factors. Unfortunately, we’ve not been able to lay hands on the attackers yet,” he said.
He stressed that the government viewed the incident as criminality rather than a religious conflict.
“We are seeing this as an act of criminality. It’s barbaric. It’s an act of terrorism, because no religion permits this kind of action,” he said.
The Jos violence is part of a broader pattern of insecurity in the state, with repeated attacks and reprisals reported in recent months across several communities.
While authorities maintain that the situation is under control, residents and civil society groups have continued to call for sustained security presence, accountability, and preventive measures to halt the cycle of violence.
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