News
Mutfwang condemns attack on Plateau community
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has condemned the attack on Bin-mper community in Mangu council area, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.
Mr Mutfwang spoke on Thursday during a condolence visit to the community in Kombum District, where the attack reportedly claimed 24 lives.
The community was attacked on the night of Monday, with women and children among those killed.
“I condole with you all today and plead with you to take courage in the Lord,” stated the governor. “As a government, we take responsibility for failing to protect you. We plead that you please take heart.”
Mr Mutfwang described the killings as “a barbaric, senseless and evil display on innocent lives”, saying the attack also targeted his administration.
“It was not only an attack against your community but also an attack on me,” he said.
He described the incident as an affront to his person and the government’s collective resolve to protect lives and property.
Mr Mutfwang assured residents that his administration would strengthen existing security measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.
“This government would not relent in its determination to secure the state and create an environment conducive to the prosperity and well-being of its people,” he said.
He also assured residents that perpetrators of the attacks would not take over their ancestral lands.
“We will do everything within our powers to ensure that you remain on your land. Nobody will take over your land,” Mr Mutfwang said.
The governor said police had arrested some suspects, promising that the government would follow the matter to its logical conclusion.
Mr Mutfwang visited the palace of the traditional ruler, Mishkagham Mwaghavul, Putmang Hirse. He assured the traditional institution and residents of President Bola Tinubu’s support, promising that the government would intensify efforts to end insurgency in Plateau.
Mr Hirse thanked the governor and his delegation for identifying with the Mwaghavul people during the difficult period. He described the attack as senseless and deliberate, saying the perpetrators appeared determined to inflict pain and destabilise the peaceful community.
“This is something we least expected; people were asleep when they were massacred,” Mr Hirse said.
(NAN)
Yobe State has documented 511 cases of diphtheria and 13 deaths from January to 8 September, according to health authorities.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Muhammad Gana, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Thursday.
Mr Gana explained that the 13 deaths corresponded to a case fatality rate of 2.5 per cent, which is lower than in most other affected states across the country.
He affirmed that the outbreak impacted 12 local government areas in the state, and that vaccination plans in these areas were well underway.
Mr Gana further stated that the current total of 511 diphtheria cases was significantly lower than the 1,100 cases reported in September 2025 and previous years.
He attributed the decline since 2023, when the state recorded its highest burden of 3,080 cases, to sustained outbreak response activities.
The activities listed by the Commissioner included providing free medication to victims, training health workers on response strategies, conducting intensive vaccinations in hard-to-reach areas, community engagement, and sensitisation campaigns against the disease.
READ ALSO: Lassa Fever: Oyo records 131 suspected cases, six confirmed, one death – Commissioner
Additional efforts involved aggressive contact tracing by health personnel, sharing updates with relevant stakeholders, holding regular coordination meetings, and mobilising resources for outbreak response.
Mr Gana praised the support from WHO, UNICEF, and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) for assisting the state’s vaccination campaign against diphtheria, especially in nomadic settlements.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the throat and upper respiratory tract.
It mainly spreads through respiratory droplets expelled by coughing or sneezing, and occasionally through direct contact with infected skin lesions or contaminated secretions.
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