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Robbery, Kidnapping, and Border Insecurity Top Concerns as Plateau Fact-Finding Committee Visits Qua’an-Pan LGC
The Plateau State Fact-Finding Committee has identified kidnapping, armed robbery, and porous border security as key issues troubling Qua’an-Pan Local Government Council in Plateau State. This was revealed during the committee’s visit to the area on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as part of its Southern Zone security assessment tour.
Led by retired Major General Nicholas Rogas, the committee was received by the Executive Chairman of Qua’an-Pan LGC, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, who outlined the security challenges faced by the council—most of which are linked to its strategic location bordering multiple LGAs and states.
“Qua’an-Pan has not experienced coordinated armed invasions like Mangu or Bassa, but our situation is no less serious. We face persistent cases of kidnapping, robbery, and criminal movements through our border communities,” Manship said.
He explained that the Pandam Forest in Namu district had previously served as a criminal hideout and transit route for armed groups. Though recent efforts by his administration and security agencies have reduced such incidents, he noted that the area’s vulnerability persists due to shared boundaries with Nasarawa, Shendam, Bokkos, and Mangu.
“We used to have daylight robberies—three to four times a day. But today, through community policing, intelligence sharing, and inter-LGA cooperation, we’ve significantly curbed that. For the past few months, we’ve not recorded major incidents,” he stated.
The chairman also raised concerns about other emerging threats including:\n- Open grazing disputes.\n- Isolated murders, including the killing of a village head.\n- Traditional leaders allegedly demanding fees from herders to graze.\n- Fear-driven farmland abandonment due to crises in neighboring areas.
He recalled past communal conflicts in Namu (2005–2006), Kundung (2003–2004), and Sabon Jida, as well as the more recent destruction of crops in the border area of Loon. “These are internal and external pressure points we must keep watching,” he noted.
The committee also held a private meeting at the palace of the Acting President of the Qua’an-Pan Traditional Council, Long Jan Safianu Alananan, alongside the Long Kwo, Amb. Yahaya Kwande. Security heads, traditional rulers, and religious leaders participated in the deliberation.
Maj. Gen. Rogas commended the local government council and security architecture in Qua’an-Pan, describing their efforts as effective and worthy of emulation.
“What we’ve seen here shows that good local leadership makes a difference. There is coordination between traditional institutions, security agencies, and the council. That’s why this place is relatively calm,” he said.
Chairman Manship reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining peace and expanding collaboration with neighboring councils in Nasarawa State. He expressed hope that the committee’s findings would lead to actionable government policies.
“This engagement gives our people hope. We trust that this committee will produce a fair and objective report. We’ve done our part, and we’re ready to do more,” he added.
The visit to Qua’an-Pan marks the beginning of the committee’s fact-finding mission in Plateau State’s Southern Zone, aimed at informing policy through grassroots dialogue.
Policy experts, academics, and researchers have stated that strong public policy implementation and debt management can drive good governance in Africa.
They made these remarks during the just-concluded African Finance and Economics (AFEA) 2026 conference, held in Abuja from 3 to 5 July.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Evans Osabuohein, a professor of economics, said that the discussions at the event focused on public policy and debt management, which are affecting human capital development in Africa.
“It [is] about how public debt can be managed more efficiently in Africa, so that we can tap into the resources for human capital and energy efficiency in this age of innovation. We need human resources that are well-skilled, equipped, and knowledgeable to harness such potential that technology like artificial intelligence present today,” he said.
“Debt is not bad in itself; the issue is when debt is borrowed but is not used for capital investment, the servicing of debt becomes a burden. We have seen this in most African countries where some of the borrowings are not geared towards human capital development.”
Mr Osabuohein, a board member of AFEA, explained that it would be a win-win option for both governments and citizens if public debt is used judiciously, saying that the execution of projects translates into employing the populace to do the labour.
More details
The three-day international conference, hosted by Nile University Abuja’s faculty of arts and social sciences, brought together scholars, policymakers, and industry experts in the field of economics.
Themed ‘Africa’s Geoeconomic Development Agenda in a Global Realignment Era’, it sought to contribute expert input on shifting geopolitics, climate risk, and development finance across the continent, and drew attendees from Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries.
Emotimo Agama, director-general of the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC); Tope Fasua, an economic adviser to President Bola Tinubu; Tony Okpanachi, managing director of the Development Bank of Nigeria, among others, made up the line-up of dignitaries for the event.
Premium Times monitored breakout sessions at the programme, where participants presented papers on topics including debt sustainability, global financial and health governance systems, digital service delivery, mobile money, financial inclusion, and continental digital markets.
Some sessions also focused on youth, gender, demographic change, and inclusive development; as well as migration, urbanisation, and spatial inequality, with a broad focus on Africa-West relations.
The sessions featured interactive discussions for each paper presenter, including how their research work could be further enhanced.
Participants speak
Abogede Marietu, a PhD candidate of economics at Nile University, described the conference as impactful, adding that it has given her opportunities to learn from scholars in her field.
“Today is actually my first time presenting my work at an international conference, and I think that gives visibility to my work. I have also got to learn from other presenters.”
“It is my earnest desire that the government in Africa would look into the policies that myself and other presenters have come up with, so as to improve the economy, and also aid the livelihood of the citizens of the continent,” she said.
READ ALSO: Africa must act before deep-sea mining becomes a new battleground
Another paper presenter, Ropheka Bot, stated that she found the discussions in the conference “very timely and engaging as experts gathered to discuss current global issues”
Mrs Bot, a lecturer at Bingham University, Karu, said she hopes that governments in Africa would implement some of their research findings to improve development on the continent.
About AFEA
The African Finance and Economics Association (AFEA) is a professional forum for academics and practitioners (government and industry) of finance, economics, and related disciplines interested in the development of Africa.
It seeks to empower the continent through financial growth and sustainable development, with a mission to promote the exchange of information and ideas among professionals and stakeholders in the field while fostering research that advances knowledge on contemporary African development issues.
With Majune Socrates as its president, Gbadebo Odularu sits as the chairman of the board for the organisation.
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