Govt’s committee uncovers bandits behind Plateau killings, says they’re from 4 northern states

A  fact-finding committee set up by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has revealed that bandits behind recurring attacks in the state often cross in from neighboring states.band

Committee chairman, Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas (rtd), said the team engaged with various ethnic groups and stakeholders and also visited violence-ravaged communities to gather first-hand accounts and chart pathways to peace.

According to him, the investigation showed that assailants frequently originate from Nasarawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Taraba states.

“The committee received a report of disturbances by bandits who are said to have established their cells in two villages of Nasarawa State bordering Quan’pan and forcing Plateau communities in Quan’pan to flee.

“In Wase and Kanam, the presence of bandits’ cells with suspected links to extremist organisations was reported.

“The motives driving these attacks are multiple, ranging from control of land and resources, to territorial expansion, ethno-religious dominance, political destabilisation, and outright criminal profiteering through kidnap-for-ransom and cattle rustling.

“These porous borders include entry ports from Nasarawa through Wamba, Lafia and Awe; from Kaduna through Lere, Kaura and Sanga; from Bauchi through Toro, Tafawa Balewa, Bagoro and Alkaleri; and from Taraba through Ibi and Karim Lamido. These routes are largely unmonitored and exploited by attackers for quick strikes and retreats,” he explained.

Nicholas stressed that with 420 communities attacked and close to 12,000 deaths recorded, the state cannot afford to view the violence as routine. He described the killings as coordinated, intentional, and devastating.

Receiving the committee’s report in Jos, Governor Mutfwang pledged to implement its recommendations to restore peace in the state.

He also said he plans to present the document to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and security experts to give them a deeper understanding of the decades-long violence and to help craft lasting solutions.