Opinion

Plateau Attacks: Bloodshed Ahead Of May 29

Published

3 years ago

May 23, 2023

vicky

OBVIOUSLY, the enemy was mightily upset. After eight long, horrific and brutal years of sorrow, apprehension and gloom, the overwhelming victory of Barrister Caleb Mutfwang in the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial vote finally offered Plateau people a respite, a ray of hope. So, across political party, ethnic and religious divides, they engaged in tumultuously celebration, as one family. By perpetrating that massacre of May 15, 2023, on the very soul of the governor-elect’s homeland, our enemies intended to inflict maximum fear and pain that willfrighten him from stamping his feet and confronting this persistent injustice done the peace-loving Plateau indigenous communities and citizens.They insist that this land-grabbing and displacement of communities from their ancestral lands must continue. Yes. As a reminder that this testament of blood will persist, they have continued to visit terrorism on us – ordinary folk, defenceless children and women. Even crops in the fields arenot spared. Sadly, their brutal message is clear: even under a new dispensation, they will not cease fire and leave the land in the hands of those into whose hands God has entrusted them.

Unfortunately, they plan to intensify this mayhem. They sense that the new man in the saddle is poised to face them frontally and without equivocation – a far cry from the standard practice in the last eight years which almost became routine state policy. But even amid the wailing, pain and blood that have characterised the last few weeks in Plateau State as we edge towards the historic handing over of power, the governor-elect, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, has shown that he is prepared to face these enemies of the state and make the much sought-after difference in this department of seemingly intractablelawlessness. He has exhibited sufficient commitment and zeal that he is prepared to not only offer leadership from the front, but he is also ready to be courageous even to the point of making great sacrifices to bring peace to this beautiful land full of plenty. That is the stuff true leadership is made of. He amply demonstrated this resolve in his interview with Channels television a few days ago when he hinted that he was already in full grasp of the true nature of the problem on ground.

The North Central governors and other political leaders are now solidly united about sharing National Assembly and sundry positions. They have never done this regarding the insecurity that is threatening the very existence of their Middle Belt peoples. This is the lesson here for Barrister Mutfwang: it is only when it comes to apportioning positions for personal aggrandisement that most of our leaders stand as one. This has been the bane of this region in the last eight years. Therefore, the onus is on Mutfwang to rally round his other colleagues in this region towards ensuring its collective security. In the last eight years, our governor preferred to wine and dine with the enemies of the state instead of forming a coalition, just as the South-West has done, to tackle this hydra-headed problem. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State was abandoned in the wilderness to fend off that enemy, all alone.

Going forward, Barrister Mutfwang must also declare a state of emergency on insecurity in Plateau State immediately he assumes office. The Mangu massacre should serve as an eye-opener for him. Once upon a time, Governor Jonah Jang was vilified on national media as being ‘recalcitrant’ by a national security adviser. He had courageously and vociferously called out the security agencies and warned the entire country about suspicious movements of persons deemed to be threats to the state’s security. It was at that point in time that some of the odious seeds of the current state of anomy in this part of the country began to be sown.Regardless, he had the uncommon vision to push for legislation leading to the formation of the community-based security outfit, Operation Rainbow. That was at a time when most governors had not yet thought about the looming hazards of terrorism, herdsmen’s attacks and armed banditry to the entire country. Unfortunately, just as other progressive initiatives of the Jang administration, Governor Lalong has virtually rendered that organisation prostrate and useless, even as the state continued to be buffeted by incessant attacks.

It is widely believed that Barrister Mutfwang would, as part of his declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity, make the resuscitation of Operation Rainbow one of its cardinal objectives. How do you react to people who kill and maim defenceless men, women and children and destroy houses and farmlands? Do you, once again, mainly resort to weeping, name-calling and vowing the kind of revenge that has at its core the code of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? No. Not again. That has consistently failed because there was no truth whatsoever in that approach as our leader and his co-travellers were most of the time speaking from both sides of the mouth. Plateau needs a more robust, honest, systematic and coordinated approach to tackle this menace. And this must be built on the strong foundation of justice. In a country where violence and lawlessness have become the order of the day, it would not be amiss for the incoming governor to tow the familiar line of resorting to the sophistry andinconsequential gibberish that it is“unknown gunmen, hoodlums and bandits that are attacking Plateau people.”Certainly, the Mangu mayhem has only served to open the eyes of the in-coming governor and emboldened his resolve to confront this monster head-on.

They thought that, by spilling innocent blood on Barrister Mutfwang’sstepping-stone to power on May 29, 2023, they would weaken his hand, reduce him to yet another pliable weakling in their hands. They have made a great mistake. Those bloody footstones shall become his and Plateau people’s path to lasting peace and progress. That innocent blood shall point the way to that kind of justice that finally brings healing and sustainable peace to this land.

Related Topics:Bloodshed Ahead Of May 29 Plateau attacks

Up Next

Land grabbing, ethnic cleansing, political penetration responsible for Plateau attacks —Nwatiri

Don't Miss

May Plateau never have a government that looks like Lalong led administration

Click to comment

News

2027: Kanam Youths Back Tinubu, Mutfwang, Demand Senate Slot

Published

1 day ago

April 15, 2026

Preport

Youths under the umbrella of the Coalition of Kanam Ethnic Youths Nationalities have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for a second term in 2027, while also calling for the Plateau Central senatorial seat to be zoned to Kanam Local Government Area.

The endorsement was announced during a gathering held at the Multi-purpose Conference Centre in Dengi, headquarters of Kanam LGA, where youth leaders and stakeholders converged to deliberate on the political future of the area.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Mr. Sadiq Kwaltommai and Mr. Mustapha Bayuma said the decision followed extensive consultations across the 20 wards of Kanam, culminating in a unanimous agreement to support both leaders for re-election.

The group said its endorsement of President Tinubu was based on what it described as visible progress under his Renewed Hope Agenda, including efforts to stabilize the economy, address insecurity, and execute major infrastructure projects across the country.

“We commend the President’s bold decisions and commitment to long-term development, particularly projects that will have lasting impact on Northern Nigeria,” the coalition stated.

On Governor Mutfwang, the youths described their endorsement as “earned, not given,” citing several developmental projects executed in Kanam LGA. These include ongoing road rehabilitation projects such as the Amper–Dengi and Gishare–Gwamlar–Gidgid roads, upgrades to healthcare facilities including General Hospital Dengi, improvements in school infrastructure, and agricultural support programs for farmers.

They added that regular payment of salaries and support for traditional institutions have also contributed to improving livelihoods in the area.

The coalition, however, used the occasion to press for what it termed “equity and fairness” in political representation, insisting that Kanam LGA should produce the next senator for Plateau Central in 2027.

According to the group, Kanam remains the only local government in the senatorial district yet to occupy the position since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, despite having one of the highest voter populations in the zone.

“We therefore endorse Ephraim Usman for the Plateau Central senatorial seat. Justice demands that Kanam be given the opportunity to represent the zone at the Senate,” the statement read.

They noted that the LGA has consistently supported candidates from other parts of the district in previous elections and now expects reciprocal support in the spirit of rotational equity.

Also speaking, the Leader of the Kanam Legislative Arm, Duba-Allahyafi Samson, reinforced the call for fairness, pointing out that some areas have repeatedly occupied key political offices while others remain excluded.

He urged political stakeholders to consider balancing representation across the district to sustain unity and inclusiveness.

The event concluded with the coalition congratulating Nentawe Yiltwada on his emergence as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, describing it as a significant milestone for Plateau State and a positive development for Nigeria’s democratic process.

News

Lagos, Kwara, Jigawa, 30 other states will experience flooding this year: Minister

Published

2 days ago

April 15, 2026

Preport

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has said about 33 states and the FCT will experience flooding in 2026, with 14,118 communities identified as high-risk nationwide.

Mr Utsev disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

He said the high-risk communities were located in 266 Local Government Areas (LGAs) based on scientific forecasts and hydrological assessments.

The affected states according to him are Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna and Kano.

Others include Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, including the FCT.

The minister said that 15,597 communities in 405 LGAs across 35 states would face moderate flood risk, while Ekiti State remained the only state not affected.

He added that 923 communities in 77 LGAs across 24 states fell within the low flood risk category.

”States in this category include Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara,” he said.

He warned of possible flash and urban flooding in major cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Kano.

He said coastal and riverine flooding is expected in Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ondo states due to rising sea levels and tidal surges.

He stated, “The AFO is not just a scientific report; it is a call to action. Early warning saves lives and reduces economic losses.”

Mr Utsev attributed increasing flood incidents to climate variability, rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage infrastructure and poor land-use practices.

He noted that the Federal Government was strengthening hydrological monitoring through improved data systems, automated river gauges and advanced modelling techniques.

He added that collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were being enhanced to improve forecast accuracy and early warning dissemination.

The minister urged state governments to integrate flood risk considerations into land-use planning, urban development and infrastructure design.

He also called for improved drainage systems, effective floodplain management and stronger community preparedness to minimise impacts.

Earlier, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said flooding remained a major national challenge, with recurring incidents recorded since 2012.

Mr Tinubu said his administration had initiated policies and programmes, including flood control projects, to address the persistent threat.

He said that the 2024 Maiduguri flood marked a turning point toward proactive flood and disaster management.

According to him, the Anticipatory Action initiative, led by the Office of the Vice-President, is strengthening early warning, preparedness and coordinated response.

Mr Tinubu described the AFO as a key planning document guiding early action, mitigation and evacuation strategies nationwide.

He urged stakeholders to utilise the forecasts to protect lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.

The president also emphasised the need to harness water resources to drive economic diversification and sustainable development.

Also speaking, the Director-General of NIHSA, Umar Mohammed, said the forecast was based on comprehensive, data-driven analysis of flood-prone areas.

Mr Mohammed said the AFO served as an early warning tool to support planning and coordinated disaster response nationwide.

He added that the agency had upgraded its forecasting system to a hybrid AI-integrated model to improve accuracy and lead time.

He also said that the Flood Dashboard now enabled real-time monitoring and dissemination of alerts to stakeholders.

He urged residents in vulnerable areas to heed early warnings and adopt preventive measures to reduce risks.

The NIHSA director general called for wider dissemination of the outlook to strengthen preparedness and resilience in communities.

He appreciated the Federal Government and development partners for their support in the preparation of the 2026 outlook.

Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the World Meteorological Organisation, NiMet, NEMA, the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr Idi Maiha, and other stakeholders.

(NAN)