Security Measures: Plateau bans night grazing, restores vigilante patrols

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang yesterday took measures to halt the incessant attacks on rural communities by gunmen.

“To restore calm and strengthen vigilance, I hereby announce the following measures, effective Wednesday, April 16.

“Night grazing of cattle is strictly prohibited. Transportation of cattle by vehicle is banned after 7P.M.

“”The use of motorcycles is restricted from 7p.m. to 6 a.m. across the state until further notice,” he said in a broadcast.

No fewer than 100 persons have been killed by gunmen in Bassa and Bokkos local government areas of the state in the last one week.

Also yesterday, seven people were feared killed in fresh attacks in  Adamawa and seven in Benue communities.

Miffed by the pattern of violence in the North, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and former Senate President David Mark urged Nigerians to cooperate with government and security agencies in their efforts to end the killings.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who expressed concern about the ugly trend, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unrelenting in getting to the root cause and ending the malady.

Plateau won’t succumb to fear, says governor

Mutfwang, who convened an emergency security meeting and consulted the President and security chiefs, urged calm, saying that Plateau would not succumb to fear.

He thanked the President for instructing security agencies to take decisive steps to apprehend the perpetrators of the attacks.

Mutfwang said: “Security deployments are being reinforced, and Operation Rainbow is being restructured to support community stabilization efforts.

“Additionally, all hospitals in the region have been directed to provide free medical treatment to victims, and relief supplies are already being dispatched to affected communities.”

The governor acknowledged that the attacks are not ordinary, pointing out that concerted efforts were being made by those behind it to destabilise the state.

He stressed: “Let us be clear: this is not random violence. This is not an isolated conflict between farmers and herders. What we are witnessing is a systematic and premeditated campaign—one that seeks to displace, destabilize, and instill terror and fear on our people and communities.

“The tragic echoes of Dogo Na Hawa, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Mangu, and the Christmas Eve massacres in Bokkos remain vivid. The cycle continues, but it must not endure., enough is enough.

“As your governor, I stand resolved, Plateau shall not be overrun by fear, nor shall we accept this culture of bloodshed as the new normal. My administration is intensifying efforts to protect our people and enforce the rule of law across all local governments.”

Reiterating his determination to protect lives and property, Mutfwang also urged traditional leaders and youth associations to reactivate local vigilante groups and organize night patrols in coordination with the security agencies.

He however, added that while protecting the communities, there should be adherence to the rule of law.

7 killed, vehicles destroyed in Adamawa attacks

No fewer than seven people have  been killed by Boko Haram insurgents who attacked two communities in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The attacks took place at Banga and Larh communities when the insurgents stormed the communities with guns and explosive devices, killing their victims and bombing vehicles along the way.

In Banga, a vigilante was killed by a detonated bomb, two other men were shot down, and a woman fell and died as she made to run away.

The attack left an unnamed boy unaccounted for, though his phone was said to have been ringing when his family and friends were trying to contact him. The calls were unanswered.

Among assets that were destroyed was a police van from nearby Garaha, which was stationed in Banga. It was destroyed by a Boko Haram bomb.

The Chairman of Hong Local Government Area, Usman Wa’aganda confirmed that seven died in the attacks.

‘Attacks in Benue for land grabbing’

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia  expressed worry over the attacks on communities, the latest being Otobi in Otukpo Local Government Area that claimed seven lives.

Alia announced the deployment of security personnel to Otobi,  adding that some arrests have been made in connection with the killings.

The governor, who spoke with reporters in Makurdi, said: “As I speak, we lost eleven people, there are some villagers who are still missing, we are hoping that they will be found. Since last night we deployed, through the security heads our security apparatuses to calm the situation.”

He added: “Earlier this morning, the deputy governor was directed to move in, and later part of the morning, the homeland security with the Commissioner of Police were already on ground there not just to build hope again but for the entire space to be secured”.

He expressed the hope that Otukpo Local Government Area, particularly Otobi, would be calm, assuring that his administration would support the families of the victims.

Read Also:

Fresh Plateau attack leaves 51 dead, following killing of over 50 last week

Bandits kill 40 in fresh Plateau community attack

Alia described the new style of attacks and killings as land grabbing, urging the people to be at alert and report strange circumstances to security agencies.

He said: “We have horrible, terrible fighters in the Frontline. They come and they kill any person, irrespective of ethnicity. So, they kill them, all the residents run away. They go back for a few weeks and then, they come back in full fledge for occupation. This is land grabbing.”

 IGP confirms arrest of two suspects

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the killing in Bokkos, Plateau State.

He said the suspects are giving the police information on the ongoing investigation.

Egbetokun said  the Nigeria Police Force is diligently working to uncover the motives behind these attacks, identify and apprehend other suspects involved in the killings.

He described the killings as senseless and uncalled-for, adding that he has ordered additional deployment of officers to restore normalcy.

Tajudeen: enough of killings

Speaker Tajudeen condemned the attacks, urging security agencies to take a decisive action to end the “barbaric acts.”

AbdullahKrishi, sent condolences to the family of victims.

He said: “I am indeed, saddened by the latest killings in some communities in Plateau State. It is unfortunate that innocent Nigerians get killed in a most barbaric and brutal manner. Enough of the killings on the Plateau and other parts of the country.

“In line with the earlier directive by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to the security agencies to fish out the killers of innocent Nigerians on the Plateau and other parts of the country, I call on them to intensify efforts.”

‘President not relenting’

Idris said President Tinubu is doing everything possible to end insecurity, urging Nigerians to cooperate with the security agencies.

He said government’s seriousness is underscored by the massive investments in the acquisition of modern military assets, training and retraining of the Armed Forces and security personnel, and the strengthening of intelligence-gathering mechanisms.

The minister spoke at the Defence Headquarters First Quarter Media Stakeholders Seminar, in Abuja with the theme: “Media as a key component of Joint Task Force Commanders’ Operational Success.”

Idris said: “Insecurity and terrorism are not uniquely Nigerian challenges. They are global threats that even the most advanced and sophisticated nations of the world continue to grapple with.

“From Europe to the Middle East, from North America to Africa, the reality of today’s world is that no country is entirely immune from the scourge of violent extremism and organized criminality.

“However, what truly makes the difference is how nations respond. The Tinubu administration is unrelenting in its commitment to overcoming these threats and ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians.”

“Under the Eight-Point Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, the cardinal objective is undoubtedly to guarantee our national security through clear and strategic focus on investing in the right tools, systems, and personnel, to secure our nation.

The minister, who was represented by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Ndace, described the seminar as “timely and noble initiative”, which reflected deep understanding of the Chief of Defence on the critical role of communication in modern warfare, “especially in an era where information can influence outcomes as much as firepower.”

The Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru, said the military must explore innovative ways to pass adequate information about troops operations to the public.

Badaru said that by doing so, they would be able to win public trust, enhance unity and check fake news.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Sayo Olatunde, said the event was significant due to evolvement of the role of the media in modern warfare beyond its traditional scope of information dissemination.

He said: “The contemporary security landscape is not only characterised by conventional and asymmetric threats, but also involves a battle of narrative among opposing forces. Accordingly, the information space is becoming as equally contested as the battlefield. This implies that how we communicate our mission, counter misinformation and maintain public trust is crucial to the outcome of Joint Task Force operations.”

Nigerians should rally round Mutfwang, says Abdulrazaq

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) urged community and religious leaders to rally round the Plateau governor to end the senseless blood bath.

The forum said it is “deeply saddened by reports of new violence in parts of Plateau State, leading to multiple deaths and injuries.

In a statement, its chairman and Kwara State Governor Abdulraman AbdulRazaq commiserated with the government and people of Plateau at this trying time.

He added: “We call on community and religious leaders to rally behind Governor Caleb Mutfwang to douse tension, reconcile minds, and build sustainable peace in Plateau.

“We call on everyone to understand that the souls already lost are not just numbers; they are the bread winners, hopes, and pride of many families.

“We call for immediate cessation of violence of any kind against fellow members of the human community. We pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and wish those injured speedy recovery, while everyone embraces dialogue and peace.”

Plateau in Diaspora urges govt to apprehend killers

Plateau Indigenes abroad have deplored the wave of killings and urged the Federal Government to take decisive steps to end the callous acts.

The Plateau Association (USA) Incorporated (PSA-USA), said the killings “are not isolated incidents or mere clashes but deliberate acts of terror, targeting peaceful communities with impunity.”

The group, in a statement by its President, Dr. Bartholomew Shepkong, said: “enough is enough of the continued killings.”

He said: “The time for words has passed. Now is the time for justice.

“The association calls for immediate and decisive action from the government of Nigeria and the international community:

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must respond with urgency and leadership, demonstrating the political will to bring these atrocities to an end.

“Security agencies must fulfill their constitutional obligation by identifying, arresting, and prosecuting all those responsible.

“The international community must recognise the ongoing violence in Plateau and Nigeria’s Middle Belt as a growing humanitarian and human rights crisis and respond with the seriousness it deserves.

“The memories of the innocent demand more than our grief—they demand our action.

“These brutal and coordinated assaults resulted in the slaughter of scores of innocent men, women and children; the destruction of homes, and the displacement of entire families.

“These are not isolated incidents or mere ‘clashes’—they are deliberate acts of terror, targeting peaceful communities with impunity.

“Let us be clear—this is not a conflict. It is targeted, coordinated violence. It is ethnic cleansing by another name.”

Olawepo-Hashim condems violence

Former presidential candidate Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim condemned the renewed wave of violence in Plateau and Ondo States.

He described the persistent killings as a tragic reflection of the failing security architecture.

In a statement in Abuja, Hashim lamented the bloodshed and called for urgent security  reforms.

“How many more innocent lives must be lost before real and lasting solutions are implemented? When will this bloodletting stop?” he queried.

Olawepo-Hashim the centralised nature of Nigeria’s security structure has become overstretched and ineffective in responding swiftly to threats at the grassroots.

Olawepo-Hashim also identified poor cooperation with neighbouring countries as a major contributor to the current insecurity, citing the free inflow of arms and bandits across the country’s borders as a lingering threat.

He added: “Bandits and terrorists now operate with calculated ease, simply relocating from areas of intensified Federal Military presence to regions with low or delayed security attention,” he said, noting a pattern of violence shifting from the North East, to the North West, and now to the North Central.

Describing the trend as an “adaptive insurgency,” Olawepo- Hashim stressed that the country shoul adopt a decentralised and intelligence driven security strategy that includes full collaboration with subnational governments and regional partners.

He said: “What is going on in Nigeria are not isolated communal disputes, but coordinated rural and semi-urban guerrilla warfare by a motley alliance of forces of terror and banditry that have chosen the entire Northern Nigeria as their theatre of operation.

“Our heart goes to the families and communities who lost their loved ones and those who are wounded, we pray for strength for them and speedy recovery.”