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Plateau State recorded 12,000 deaths and 420 community attacks between 2001 and May 2025.
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Mutfwang says violence has become more organised, driven by land disputes, political tension, and illegal mining.
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Govt calls for unity, stronger intelligence, and nationwide collaboration to halt the escalating insecurity.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has raised fresh concern over the scale of violence that has ravaged the state for more than two decades, revealing that at least 12,000 people have been killed, while 420 communities have come under attack since 2001.
The governor made the disclosure on Thursday in Jos during the opening session of the North Central Zonal Public Hearing on National Security, organised by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee.
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Represented by Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo, Mutfwang said the figures reflect the depth of insecurity that has eroded Plateau’s status as the “Home of Peace and Tourism.”
He noted that rather than argue over which group has suffered the most, citizens must unite to end the cycle of violence.
“This is not a time to compare pains. It is time to join hands and unite,” he said.
Crisis has evolved, attackers now more organised
According to the governor, the prolonged crisis did not erupt overnight but has transformed into a more sophisticated and coordinated conflict, worsening humanitarian and economic losses across rural communities.
He said attackers have become “more daring and organised,” leaving farming settlements destroyed, farmlands abandoned, and entire communities displaced in what he described as deliberate and sustained assaults.
Mutfwang added that many displaced families often return home to discover their ancestral lands forcibly taken over, a development he linked to expanding land-grabbing activities.
Illegal mining fueling insecurity
The governor also identified illegal mining as a major driver of conflict, alleging that criminal groups use proceeds from mining operations to purchase arms and hard drugs.
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He acknowledged state-level bans and new regulations but admitted that the criminal networks behind illegal mining remain complex and difficult to dismantle.
Mutfwang questioned whether governments at all levels have fulfilled their constitutional duty to protect lives and property, calling for stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved intelligence gathering, and a coordinated national approach to restoring peace.
He welcomed the Senate’s public hearing as an opportunity for citizens to speak frankly and provide actionable recommendations.
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, who also spoke at the event, said Nigeria is dealing with “multi-layered security threats,” including insurgency, banditry, farmer-herder clashes, communal conflicts, and widespread destruction of farmlands.
He assured that the National Assembly remains committed to legislations that enhance public safety and stabilise affected communities.
