Plateau communities are currently in the grip of horrendous conflicts, including banditry, terrorism, and all forms of violent crimes.
The toll is staggering, with a reported loss of 11,749 lives between 2001 and 2025. However, the actual number may be even higher, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
Death, Destruction, and Displacement
These conflicts have not only led to death and destruction but also forced many to flee their homes, resulting in a significant displacement of citizens.
Findings by the Fact-Finding Committee on Incessant Attacks, Killings and Destruction in Plateau State chaired by the Retired Major-General Nicholas Rogers, established that no fewer than 420 communities across 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) suffered vicious attacks in the period under review.
The data, gathered through painstaking work that lasted weeks, which required engaging affected communities, liaising with security agencies, and reviewing evidence, revealed that 35 per cent of livestock were destroyed. In comparison, 32.5 per cent of citizens were displaced.
The investigation revealed that 16.8 per cent of food was destroyed, 9.9 per cent of houses were demolished, and 3.4 per cent of land was illegally grabbed and occupied.
Besides, the findings also indicated that victims of the gruesome devastations might have suffered significant psychological, cultural, and economic consequences, as Roger added, “Beyond the loss of lives, we documented widespread destruction of livelihoods.”
Flashback
A comprehensive research by TheDiggerNews revealed that since 1994, Plateau State has lost at least 4,486 lives as a result of over 15 major crises it has witnessed.
The attack on Christmas Eve in Barking Ladi and Bokkos local government areas in 2023 led to the killing of over 100 people, as homes and worship centres were set ablaze.
A conflict that centred on resource control in Mangu Local Government Area in April of the same year, between Mwaghavul farmers and Fulani herders, claimed over 300 lives, leading to the destruction of livestock, farmland, and schools.
Forestalling further heinous occurrences, on May 20 this year, Governor Mutfwang inaugurated a 10-member committee to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the incessant attacks in the State.
The committee was mandated to ascertain the number of affected communities and persons from 2001 to date.
Facts revealed that the attackers usually accessed the communities through Taraba, Bauchi, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states, attacking, killing, and maiming, then retreating.
Other discoveries ascribed the root causes of the conflicts to the infiltration of criminal elements seeking to exploit the state’s natural resources. They blamed historical grievances, ethnic mistrust, and fierce land disputes as other causes.
These findings underscore the urgent need for peace-building efforts and security reforms to prevent further loss of life and destruction.
Response Mechanism
Nevertheless, Governor Mutfwang vowed his administration would intensify early warning and response mechanisms to safeguard lives and property while assuring that the report by the committee would be carefully studied and forwarded to the Federal Government for implementation.
“In anticipation of this report, we have been recruiting for Operation Rainbow, our security outfit. Between now and next week, we will send more than 1,000 operatives for proper training.
“Our Peace Building Agency has also stepped up its activities, cascading them to communities because we realise the solution is not just kinetic; we must also deploy non-kinetic options if we are to get results,” he said.
Mutfwang, pledging to address poverty, improve infrastructure, and promote human capital development, urged Plateau citizens to eschew violence and embrace peaceful coexistence.
“We must see ourselves as brothers and sisters, irrespective of creed or tribe. That is the only way we can build a united state. I appeal to leaders to always preach peace. Any leader who truly loves Plateau will not claim the capacity to cause trouble for the State. We must join hands to build and not destroy,” he said.
Root Causes
Situated in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, Plateau State has been bloodied by decades of conflict prompted by ethno-religious crises. Jos, the capital of Plateau State, has experienced ongoing violence since the early 2000s.
The conflict, which has held the communities savagely, often sets the Muslim Hausa-Fulani settlers at daggers drawn with the indigenous Christian communities, predominantly populated by Berom, Afizere, and Anaguta.
The crises between the two are often attributed to disputes over political representation, mining, and land, as colonial legacies and migration patterns aggravated the known fault lines.
The magnitude of devastation in Plateau State is significant, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands, the destruction of thousands of homes, farms, and worship centres, and the collapse of the local economies.
Saving Grace
Analysts advocate fair political representation, promoting interfaith and interethnic dialogue to rebuild trust and reduce cycles of revenge, as well as strengthening local security architecture and intelligence.
They call for the regulation of grazing activities and policies that are fair to land-use to minimise farmer-herder clashes.
Additionally, they urge the government to invest in education and create jobs to discourage youths from militancy and banditry. Furthermore, they advocate for the transparent prosecution of perpetrators of violence to build trust in the justice system and serve as a deterrent to future attacks.
They also advance community dialogue, security reforms, and effective land and resource management. Restoring citizens’ faith in the rule of law is crucial to promoting a sense of justice and discouraging vigilantism.
The pain prompted by conflicts and crises in Plateau is gruesome; will the government, citizens, and stakeholders strive for peace building to rescue the State from bloodletting and wanton destruction of lives and property? Plateau gropes in the dark for elusive peace.
