‘Every community must defend itself’, Plateau governor says after mass killings

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang says he believes “every community must defend itself” in response to the mass killings in the state by suspected armed herders.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that over 100 people have been killed in a series of attacks in Bassa Local Government Area of the state in the past fortnight.

The latest attack occurred in the early hours of Monday when the gunmen attacked the Zike and Kimakpa communities of Kwall District in the Iregwe Chiefdom. Over 50 people have been reported killed in the attack with several houses and other properties also destroyed.

Mr Mutfwang, who visited some of the affected communities in Kwall District on Tuesday, said the security challenges in the state have deprived the state of steady growth and development.

The governor disclosed that the state government had made tangible investments in technology to address the state’s current security challenges.

“Immediately we assumed office, we took decisive steps and invested heavily in technology just to end these security challenges facing us,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes him as saying during the visit.

“Insurgency and terrorism have deprived us of the riches of the land; our developmental strides on the Plateau have been slow because of insecurity.

“There is no reason for us to be where we are; our people cannot go to their farms and engage in any economic venture.

“But as a government, we are doing everything possible to end these circles of attacks and killings,” he said.

The governor, who commiserated with the families who lost their loved ones, vowed to bring the preparators to book.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support to the state and called on the security agencies to intensify efforts towards tackling the current security challenges in Plateau.

“We are here with all the security apparatus in the state to reassure you that we are committed to your safety.

“You have every reason not to be happy, but I want to assure you that we have taken steps to correct all the lapses of the past,” he said.

Community defence

The Plateau governor said his administration has supported the military and other security agencies since he assumed office in 2023.

“As a government, we will support the security agencies towards ensuring that our people are safe,” he said.

He, however, said security cannot be achieved unless communities defend themselves.

“But let me remind you that whatever arrangements the security agencies will make may not solve the problem, the solution will come from the communities.

“We have come to a point in Nigeria, where every community must defend itself,” he said.

Mr Mutfwang, however, said his government would not support ‘lawlessness’, an indication his call for communal security must be properly regulated.

“I will not, however, support lawlessness, but we can’t afford to go to sleep,” he said while advising the youth to rise up and defend their communities.

Communal defence

The governor’s call is not new. Many other Nigerians, including former army chief Theophilus Danjuma, have made similar calls and demanded that communities arm themselves to protect them from invaders since security agencies can not. However, many other Nigerians have rejected such calls, saying it would worsen the situation as it would mean more arms in the hands of non-state actors.

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Armed attacks on communities in many states, mostly in Northern Nigeria, have led to the death of thousands of people in the past decade. Apart from Plateau, some of the states affected by such attacks include Niger, Benue, Taraba and Kaduna.

The reasons for the attacks vary but include fights over land, fights over grazing rights between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers, and ethno-religious crises.

The attacks have continued despite the efforts of security agencies.