The Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA) has raised the alarm over the possible emergence of a new extremist group fueling violence and terror in Plateau communities.
Director-General of the agency, Prof. Julie Sanda, issued the warning during a peace forum held in Jos, where she emphasized the need for urgent and context-specific solutions to the growing insecurity plaguing the state.
Speaking on the theme “Preventing Violent Extremism in Plateau State: Strengthening Community Resilience and Coordinated Action,” Prof. Sanda said recent attacks in Mangu, Bokkos, Riyom, and Bassa LGAs between May and July — in which over 500 people were killed — suggest a shift in the pattern and organisation of violence.
“There is a likelihood that these killers are no longer operating as scattered armed groups but may be forming a new extremist group,” she warned.
Prof. Sanda urged government authorities, security agencies, traditional institutions, and stakeholders to rethink peace-building strategies by focusing on intelligence gathering, youth engagement, and community resilience.
She recalled that during the last edition of the peace forum, participants had unanimously agreed that violent extremism was gaining ground and posed an immediate threat to peace and stability. She stressed that coordinated, community-driven responses were crucial to preventing further escalation.
