IDNN SPECIAL REPORT – PLATEAU MASSACRE: NSA RIBADU, GOVERNOR MUFTWANG, AND AREWA LEADERS REACT TO BOKKOS KILLINGS
By IDNN Security Desk | April 2025
🔥 PLATEAU UNDER ATTACK: NATIONAL OUTCRY OVER BOKKOS BLOODBATH
The Plateau crisis has taken a deadly turn after gunmen attacked multiple villages in Bokkos Local Government Area, killing over 50 people last week. The wave of violence has sparked a nationwide reckoning, with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang calling for urgent, collective action.
During a visit to Operation Safe Haven on Sunday, Ribadu decried the attacks as “unacceptable.”
“We are going through tough times, but this won’t last forever. The issue of security is for all of us. Everyone has a role to play,” he said.
🛡️ RIBADU CALLS FOR UNITY AND TRUTH IN REPORTING
While commending the security forces, Ribadu urged Nigerians to support their efforts and hold on to hope. He also appealed to the media for responsible reporting.
“Telling the truth helps us feel and heal. Even one life lost is too many,” he said.
“When people who’ve lived together for decades can’t resolve disputes, criminals take advantage. We must say enough is enough.”
Ribadu revealed that deaths from violence have dropped by over 90% in the past 10 months, and expressed confidence in the path forward.
“What we witnessed over the past 10 days should never repeat itself. Conditions have improved, and will continue to do so,” he stated.
🗣️ MUFTWANG: “THEY WON’T BREAK OUR SPIRIT”
Governor Caleb Muftwang vowed justice for the victims, expressing heartbreak over the coordinated nature of the killings.
“The lives lost in Bokkos will not be in vain,” he declared.
“Since the December 2023 attacks, Plateau had seen calm. But this violence is clearly orchestrated to intimidate and impoverish us.”
Muftwang assured the public that suspects have been arrested, and that “the era of arrest without prosecution is over.” He also called for unity among Plateau’s 54 ethnic nationalities, urging them to embrace peace, resilience, and solidarity.
🧨 AREWA, CAN DEMAND DECISIVE FEDERAL ACTION
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), in a statement by Professor Tukur Muhammad Baba, called the killings tragic and urged the Federal Government to act swiftly.
“For the umpteenth time, we urge the FG to declare a security emergency in vulnerable, bandit-prone communities,” the ACF stated.
The Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also condemned the killings. Its Chairman, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, lamented the eroding value for human life.
“We condemn in totality this strange and evil culture of taking human lives. No one should hide under religion or ethnicity to unleash terror,” he said.
CAN encouraged religious, traditional, and community leaders to promote peace and coexistence.
🚑 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE UNDERWAY
In the aftermath, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Plateau SEMA have begun a rapid assessment of affected areas. Relief materials approved by President Bola Tinubu are now en route.
NEMA confirmed that a high-level delegation from its headquarters, led by the Director-General, is already on the ground to support its Jos Zonal Office.
“We’re ensuring swift delivery of relief and proper coordination for displaced residents,” a NEMA official said.
IDNN | Journalism for Justice.
