PLATEAU State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has ordered a census of residents in communities occupied by terrorists to ensure proper documentation of those living in the area.
According to Punch, the governor gave the directive on Saturday, April 12, during a visit to the Tyop community in Mangu Local Government Area.
The move is part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity in the state, where terrorists have taken over 64 communities.
The governor condemned the displacement of indigenous people from their ancestral homes, describing it as a strategy to keep them in poverty.
Mutfwang emphasised the need for citizens to be law-abiding, stating that the state cannot afford to be lawless.
The governor said, “I want a census of people living in this place (Tyop community ). Who permitted them to build their houses when they built their houses? We can not afford to be lawless. Let me clarify: any district head who allows people to settle within the district without proper documentation of who they are, that district head knows that he will dance to the music that will follow accordingly.
“We will not allow this nonsense to continue. We have to be law-abiding. We cannot be lawless. This kind of arrangement, where the indigenous population is chased out of their ancestral homes, is an arrangement to keep our people in poverty, and we cannot accept it.”
The governor appealed for a peaceful engagement with the current occupants of the affected communities and called on security agencies to take full control of the situation.
He added, “We want everybody to live in peace. We welcome people who want land to build houses, but there is a procedure that must be followed.
“You can’t just come from nowhere and start building houses in the middle of nowhere. It is not done anywhere. Worse still, people were chased out of their homes; you take it over and occupy it. This is not right. This is not correct. So, we need to engage these people, and I want us to do it as peacefully as possible because we can’t continue to allow this kind of story to continue to repeat itself.”
Mutfwang also visited other communities recently attacked by bandits in Bokkos Local Government Area, including Hurti, Daho, and other severely affected areas, where he interacted with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The governor said he was deeply moved by the distressing conditions of the displaced, particularly women and children, and urged them not to give up their ancestral lands to strangers and land grabbers.
He stressed the importance of unity, resilience, and vigilance in the face of growing insecurity.
Addressing the youths in the affected communities, Mutfwang encouraged them to stay focused and dedicate their strength to defending their people and heritage, reminding them that they are the future leaders of their communities.
He also addressed displaced persons at Hurti in the Manguna District, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to rebuilding destroyed communities and ensuring the safe return of all displaced residents to their homes.
“We are here to witness firsthand the devastation caused by these acts of banditry. This village recorded one of the highest number of casualties in this coordinated act of terrorism and genocide. I’ve come not just to sympathise but to assure you that this government stands firmly with you.
“We must rise above our differences, unite as a people, and resist the agenda of division. God did not make a mistake by planting you in this land. The government will do its part, and I urge the youth to play their role. President Tinubu has extended his condolences and stands with you in the quest for peace and justice,” Mutfwang said.
The ICIR reported that attacks, which began on March 28, 2025, escalated with a series of coordinated invasions of villages across the Bokkos Local Government Area of the North-Central state.
On Wednesday, April 2, the attack escalated in several communities of the LGA, displacing many and leaving a trail of destruction in Ruwi, Hurti, Tadai, Manguna, and Dafo communities.
The death toll from the recent attacks reportedly rose to 52, according to local authorities on April 4.
This followed the recovery of 40 more bodies on Wednesday and Thursday night while the search and rescue team kept combing the bushes for missing persons.
Plateau State is home to about 40 ethnic groups and has been a hotbed of conflict. The clashes, mostly between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers, are often painted as ethno-religious. However, analysts have said climate change and scarcity of pastoral land are pitting the farmers and herders against each other, irrespective of faith.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.