• Sinister agenda behind communal clashes, Plateau killings, says Jang
• ‘We failed you,’ Mutfwang apologises to families of victims

Former Governor of Plateau State and former Senator for Plateau North, Jonah Jang, has condemned the recent wave of killings in the state, describing the attacks that claimed over 100 lives in a week as deeply painful and orchestrated by a known group with a hidden agenda.
 
However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar blamed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the recent spike in deadly attacks across Plateau, accusing the government of incompetence and failure to protect lives.
 
As communities in Bassa Local Council bury their loved ones killed by marauding gunmen, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau apologised to victims’ families over the failure of government and security agencies to protect them and their properties.
 
In a statement issued yesterday in Jos, Jang expressed his condolences to the people of Plateau and called on President Tinubu to convene an expanded meeting with community leaders to fully understand the gravity and complexity of the security situation.
 
“Let us call a spade a spade,” Jang stated. “These senseless killings have caused pain and suffering to our great state and its people, and we must take immediate action to put an end to this violence.”
 
He commended Governor Mutfwang for his ongoing efforts to address the crisis and praised Tinubu’s resolve to end the killings. However, Jang criticised a recent presidential directive asking Mutfwang to address the violence as a “communal issue,” noting that the mischaracterisation stemmed from “inaccurate briefings”.
  
Jang said: “The attacks in Plateau are not merely communal disputes; they are perpetrated by a known group with a specific agenda,” urging the Federal Government to recognise the true nature of the violence and respond appropriately.  He called on the people of Plateau to remain resilient, united and proactive, encouraging them to defend their communities and demand justice.
 
In a strongly worded statement posted to his official Facebook page, yesterday, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed deep sorrow over the killing of at least 47 persons in Zikke community, Kwali district of Bassa Local Council. The attack occurred just days after a similar tragedy in Bokkos, underlining what Atiku described as “the worsening state of security” in the country.
 
“I am deeply saddened and alarmed by the resurgence of violent attacks in Plateau,” Atiku wrote. “It is regrettable and entirely unacceptable that these Nigerians had to lose their lives as a result of the incompetence of the Tinubu-led administration.”

The protection of lives and property is the primary responsibility of any government. Unfortunately, Tinubu has failed these citizens and continues to fail them.”
 
Beyond Plateau, the former VP also decried the rising tide of terrorism in Borno State. He cited statements from Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, and the Shehu of Borno, indicating growing losses in both lives and territory to insurgents.
  
“These disturbing developments underscore the total collapse of the present administration’s security policy and architecture,” Atiku said. He further criticised the Federal Government’s failure to bring terrorists and bandits to justice, noting that some suspects arrested as far back as 2016 had yet to be prosecuted.
  
“If the same level of urgency and energy were devoted to the prosecution of terrorists as we have seen applied to the trials of political critics, we would have sent a clear and forceful message that crime has consequences,” he stated.
 
In his statement, the PDP chieftain called on the National Assembly to pass legislation allowing state governments to arm their security outfits with modern weapons, emphasising the need to reinforce the country’s overstretched security architecture.

IN the Zikke community of Bassa, over 50 people were gunned down in the early hours of Monday, April 14, and houses were razed. Two weeks earlier, many people were gruesomely killed in the Bokkos.
 
Speaking at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Miango community during his visit to Zikke to commiserate with the people, Mutfwang admitted that the government failed to protect the victims.  He appealed to the people of the state to forgive him, saying he had been crying since the latest killings.
  
“I will tell you the truth: I have been crying since yesterday because I had trusted God that all the arrangements were put in place, that this would not happen again. We have made investments in security. But like all human arrangements, sometimes they fail. I want to admit that on Sunday night into Monday morning, we failed you. Please, forgive me,” Mutfwang begged.
 
The governor urged the people not to relent in their efforts to secure their communities, provide vital intelligence and expose criminals’ antics.Mutfwang and his entourage also visited some of the families who lost their loved ones in the attack.
 
In his reaction, Ronku Aka, the Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land and the Brangwe of Irigwe, urged the government to help the communities by providing social amenities in the area.