.….warns Plateau must never bleed again
By Olawale Lamina
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has commended the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Plateau State to condole with the government and people over what it described as the recent horrific and senseless killings of innocent residents of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications strategy to the National Chairman of APC, Abimbola Tooki noted that the President’s visit is a profound demonstration of responsive leadership, empathy, and national solidarity at a time when the people of Plateau are grieving the painful and unjust loss of their loved ones to yet another round of barbaric violence.
President Tinubu was received in Plateau State by the National Chairman of the ruling party, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, former governors, political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, elders, women and youth representatives, as well as stakeholders from across all segments of society in the state.
In his address during the visit, the APC National Chairman, condemned the killings strongest and most unequivocal terms, describing the recent attacks in Plateau state as inhuman, cowardly, reprehensible, and a direct assault on the peace, unity, and soul of Plateau State.
According to Yilwatda, the continued shedding of innocent blood in Plateau is not only unacceptable but a national tragedy that must no longer be treated with routine outrage and temporary responses.
Yilwatda stressed that the time has come for deliberate, coordinated, and result-oriented efforts by all relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure that such dastardly and unconscionable acts never happened again in Plateau State or anywhere else in the country.
He urged community leaders across Plateau State to be more vigilant, responsive, and proactive in identifying and reporting suspicious movements and security threats within their domains.
According to him, the recurring pattern of killings strongly suggests that many of those behind these heinous acts are not ghosts or invisible invaders, but criminal elements and miscreants living within or around the communities, exploiting local vulnerabilities to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.
An alarmed APC Chairman said: “These evil perpetrators must no longer be shielded by silence, fear, complicity, or communal indifference, ” insisting that they must be identified, exposed, apprehended, and made to face the full wrath of the law.
Yilwatda further charged security agencies to urgently rethink and upgrade their security architecture and operational methods in tackling the persistent violence in Plateau State.
He emphasized that the security agencies cannot continue to deploy outdated tactics against increasingly adaptive and ruthless criminal networks and expect a different outcome.
Professor Yilwatda therefore advocated the deployment of modern surveillance and intelligence-driven technology, including Artificial Intelligence-powered cameras, drones, advanced tracking systems, and real-time intelligence gathering mechanisms, to detect, monitor, and neutralize criminal elements before they strike.
He said the present situation demands smarter, faster, and more sophisticated security responses, adding that the protection of lives and property must now be driven not only by manpower, but also by technology, intelligence, precision, and accountability.
He stated clearly that Plateau cannot continue to mourn in cycles, while the enemies of peace roam freely and repeatedly unleash terror on innocent citizens.
He also also drew attention to the grave economic implications of insecurity in Plateau State, lamenting that the state, which is richly blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes, vibrant tourism assets, and enormous economic potential, has continued to suffer avoidable setbacks due to persistent violence.
He noted that Plateau has long been celebrated as a peaceful and attractive destination with some of Nigeria’s most vibrant tourism centres, cultural attractions, and agricultural potential, but all of these opportunities remain vulnerable and stunted in the face of recurring attacks.
He emphasized that no economy can thrive where fear reigns, no investment can flourish where blood is spilled, and no society can truly prosper where innocent citizens live under the shadow of insecurity.
Prof. Yilwatda warned that without adequate protection of lives and communities, the social and economic future of the state could be severely paralysed, thereby depriving the people, especially young people, of prosperity, stability, and hope.
He maintained thay “a whole-of-society approach” is needed to put an end to the violence in Plateau, urging traditional institutions, religious leaders, political actors, youth groups, women’s groups, security operatives, and community stakeholders to work together in honesty and patriotism to restore peace and stability.
During the visit, other leaders from across Plateau State also spoke passionately on the disturbing security situation in the state and the urgent need for decisive and sustained intervention to halt the bloodshed and restore confidence among the people.
During the visit, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, former leaders, and other key stakeholders, also paid a solemn and deeply emotional visit to the families of the affected victims of the Angwan Rukuba attack.
The statement by the party chairman stressed that visit to the bereaved families was a moving moment of compassion and national mourning, as the President shared in their pain and offered words of comfort, reassurance, and solidarity in the face of unimaginable loss.
The APC also noted that the visit by President Tinubu is not merely symbolic; but a powerful signal that the Federal Government stands firmly with the people of Plateau State and remains committed to confronting the menace of violent attacks with renewed urgency and seriousness.
It is expected that the President will, in the days ahead, continue broader engagements with leaders of Plateau communities and critical stakeholders toward evolving practical, inclusive, and lasting solutions that will guarantee sustainable peace, justice, reconciliation, and security for the people of the state.
The APC National Chairman equally reiterated that the lives of Plateau citizens are sacred and non-negotiable, and that those who delight in sowing death, fear, and division among peaceful communities must be hunted down and brought to justice without delay.
“The blood of innocent men, women, and children cries out for justice, and the nation must answer with resolve.
“Plateau deserves peace.
“Plateau deserves healing.
“Plateau deserves protection.
“And above all, Plateau must never be allowed to bleed like this again,”Yilwatda stated in an emotion-laden tone
It would be recalled that the recent killings in Jos and surrounding areas of Plateau State (March-April 2026) was a consequence of a surge of armed attacks by unidentified gunmen, described by authorities as a premeditated campaign of violence and revenge attacks involving masked assailants.
The Palm Sunday Attack took place on March 29, 2026, whereby gunmen on motorcycles attacked a popular, crowded area in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, shooting indiscriminately and killing dozens, which acted as a major trigger for the current unrest.
Reprisal Killings were perhaps largely part of a cycle of revenge following the death of two teenage herders in Jol village and a subsequent attack on a drinking spot in Dorowa Babuje, which resulted in retaliatory actions between suspected Fulani militia and local communities.
Worthy of note is also the failed curfew relaxation which followed a 48-hour curfew imposed after the Palm Sunday attack, an attempt to ease the curfew on April 1 backfired, leading to fresh violence, with hoodlums attacking motorists and commuters near the University of Jos.
Ongoing Insecurity in Local Government Areas also followed spate of killings preceded by a rise in violence in Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu, and Barkin Ladi, where suspected herdsmen attacks killed over 100 people in a two-week period prior to the Jos incident.
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