Gov. Mutfwang Visits Attacked Plateau Communities, Bans Night Mining and Grazing
By: Zagazola Makama
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has visited communities recently attacked in Barkin Ladi and Bassa Local Government Areas, assuring residents that the government would intensify efforts to restore peace and bring perpetrators to justice.
The governor visited Nding community in Barkin Ladi LGA, where several persons were reportedly killed in recent attacks that left many families displaced and devastated.
Speaking during the visit, Mutfwang expressed sympathy to widows, children and survivors of the attacks, assuring them that the state government would not abandon the affected communities.
“I have been on this matter since it started. I have been in touch with the local government chairman and security agencies to contain the situation, and I decided to come here to see things for myself,” the governor said.
He commended security agencies for their prompt intervention and efforts in preventing the violence from spreading into Barkin Ladi town.
The governor also warned that any security personnel found complicit in the attacks would be investigated and sanctioned accordingly.
During a strategic security stakeholders’ meeting held at Gwol Motel in Barkin Ladi, attended by religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth representatives and community stakeholders, Mutfwang vowed that perpetrators of attacks across Plateau State would not escape justice.
According to him, the life of every Plateau citizen remains important and deserving of protection.
As part of fresh security measures, the governor reiterated the ban on night mining activities across the state, directing that all mining operations must end by 5 p.m. daily.
He also announced a ban on night grazing and prohibited grazing by underage children, urging parents and livestock owners to take responsibility for proper livestock management.
Mutfwang said his administration would not allow criminality and violence to thrive in the state, adding that security agencies had been directed to intensify operations aimed at identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the attacks.
He further appealed to the media to avoid narratives capable of discouraging investors and visitors, insisting that Plateau remained the “Home of Peace and Tourism.”
The governor also assured farmers of adequate security ahead of the farming season and promised government support through subsidised fertiliser distribution.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, who accompanied the governor during the visit, expressed solidarity with the affected communities and pledged Federal Government support through humanitarian interventions and recovery programmes.
Youth leaders, representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), and traditional rulers, including the Gwom Rwei of Barkin Ladi, commended the governor for his swift response and continued engagement with affected communities.
Mutfwang also visited Ngbrazongo village in Kwall District of Irigwe Chiefdom in Bassa LGA, where he sympathised with residents over recent attacks and assured them that additional security measures would be deployed to prevent further violence.
