Mutfwang vows justice as police arrest Plateau attack suspects

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has vowed to ensure that those responsible for the deadly attack on Bin Mper Community in Mangu Local Government Area are brought to justice.

Mutfwang made the commitment on Thursday when he visited the community to sympathise with residents following the August 18 attack, which claimed several lives and left others injured.

The governor disclosed that the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the killings.

“The police have said that some persons have been arrested, and we will follow the matter to its logical conclusion,” Mutfwang told residents.

Describing the attack as barbaric, senseless and unacceptable, the governor said the killing of innocent residents was not only an attack on the community but also a challenge to his administration’s responsibility to protect lives and property.

“This is not an attack on the community alone; it is an attack on me,” he said.

Mutfwang assured residents that his administration would strengthen security arrangements in the area and introduce additional measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.

He said the attack occurred shortly after the state government reviewed its security architecture in collaboration with the new General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Nigerian Army, and other security agencies.

The governor also assured residents that they would be protected on their ancestral land, warning that nobody would be allowed to force them out or take over their territory.

“We will do everything within our powers to ensure that you remain on your land. Nobody will take over your land,” he said.

Mutfwang condoled with families who lost loved ones and prayed for the recovery of those injured in the attack.

He commended Plateau youths for supporting community security efforts and urged them to remain peaceful, vigilant and law-abiding.

According to him, defeating banditry, terrorism and other criminal activities requires cooperation among communities, traditional institutions, government officials and security agencies.

He called for proactive and intelligence-driven security operations capable of preventing attacks before they occur.

The governor also visited the Mishkagham Mwaghavul, Da John Putmang Hirse, to commiserate with the traditional ruler and the Mwaghavul community.

Hirse described the attack as deliberate and senseless, noting that residents were killed while they slept.

He said Mangu had traditionally been peaceful and accommodating, adding that the Mwaghavul people would remain peaceful and resilient despite attempts to intimidate them.

The President of the Mwaghavul Development Association Women’s Wing, Grace Joseph Gora, also condemned the killings and appealed to women to remain calm while supporting efforts by the government and security agencies to restore peace.

Mutfwang was accompanied on the visit by presidential aide Abiodun Esiet, senior state government officials and heads of security agencies.