Bandits have taken over 64 communities in Plateau —Muftwang
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 50 persons were killed within a week in attacks by suspected herdsmen on five communities that left over 300 houses burnt.
The Plateau State government, through the Secretary to the State Government, Samuel Jatau, also visited some of the affected communities to ascertain the extent of damages and also donate relief materials to affected victims.
But the governor said the attacks that have ravaged the North-Central state is not new. He specifically said the state had been experiencing similar incidents for over 10 years but had 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.
