The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has accused political actors he described as “desperate” of fueling insecurity and violent attacks across the state in a bid to destabilise his administration.
Mutfwang made the allegation while addressing journalists during a courtesy visit at the Government House in Jos, noting that the recurring violence carried out by terrorists and bandits is not merely criminal but politically motivated, particularly during election cycles.
The governor, who spoke on yesterday, cited past and recent incidents to support his claims, including the Dogo Nahawa massacre of March 7, 2010, where over 1,000 people were killed, and the March 29 attack in Angwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area, which left more than 30 people dead.
According to him, such attacks have shown a pattern of occurring around politically sensitive periods.
“I make bold to say that the insecurity situation in Plateau State is being sponsored by desperate politicians who are out to destabilise the state,” Mutfwang said.
He added that the timing of the attacks suggests a deliberate attempt to create unrest for political advantage.
“If you notice, this violence and these attacks always peak during election cycles. What does that tell us? It is a clear indication that it is political; in fact, they are more political than terrorism,” he stated.
Mutfwang also referenced recent attacks in Kanam, Wase, and Qua’an Pan Local Government Areas, noting that the affected communities are largely Muslim. He argued that this undermines claims that the violence is driven purely by religious extremism.
“If the attackers were Muslim extremists, they would not be killing people of the same faith,” he said, adding that investigations point to political sponsorship behind the violence.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity and preventing any attempt to destabilise the state.
“We have discovered that these attacks are being sponsored by desperate politicians who are bent on destroying Plateau. But we will not allow that to happen,” he emphasised.