‘Bandits Have Taken Over 64 Communities In Plateau’ – Muftwang Cries Out. Is This Really About Grazing Cattle Or Illegal Mining ?
The Oasis Reporters
April 9, 2025
It’s difficult to properly understand that mix of various interplays in the complex security challenges in Plateau State over the last ten years or thereabouts.
But Plateau State is a miners delight.
Nigeria once found Tin and other minerals needed internationally, fetching huge sums of money for the government.
But private miners are muscling in with serious efforts while Fulani herders are moving in with sophisticated weapons not only to graze their cattle in the lush green and fertile state. Plateau State indigenes are sedentary farmers. Imposing cattle that graze on crops on the people is anarchic. And these alleged herders come in with high grade military sophisticated weapons to kill and destroy.
Are they a front for mining firms?
Or are they merely looking for grass for their cattle?
Watch:
Here’s a report from ChannelsTV:
Over fifty persons were killed within a week in attacks over five communities that left over three hundred houses burnt by suspected herdsmen.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, has decried the attacks in some communities in his state, saying bandits have taken over 64 communities.
The governor stated this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“These communities that have been recently attacked were part of the communities that were attacked in 2023 but they survived it and rebuilt themselves. The Ruwi community that was first attacked lost about 17 people in 2023 but they bounced back to show you the resilience of the people,” the governor said.
Over fifty persons were killed within a week in attacks over five communities that left over three hundred houses burnt by suspected herdsmen.
The Plateau State Government, through the Secretary to the Government Samuel Jatau, also visited some of the affected communities to ascertain the extent of damages and also donate relief materials to affected victims.
Adu expressed the Federal Government’s determination in finding solutions to the incessant attacks and killings.
But the governor said the attacks that have ravaged the North-Central state is not new. He specifically said the state has been experiencing similar incidents for over 10 years but have not gathered national attention.
“If these attacks have been going on for close to 10 years, it tells you that there is a deliberate, conscious attempt to clean out populations and to reopen.
“As I am talking to you, there are not less than 64 communities that have been taken over by bandits on the Plateau between Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Governments. They have been taken over, renamed and people are living there conveniently on lands they pushed people away to occupy,” the governor said.
(Channels TV)
