Plateau violence report reveals 12,000 deaths and 450 destroyed communities since 2001, urging decisive action for peace and security

The findings were submitted on Thursday by a 10-man fact-finding committee established by Governor Caleb Mutfwang on 20 May 2025.

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The committee, chaired by retired Maj. Gen. Nicholas Rogers, was tasked with uncovering the causes of recurring violence and documenting its impact.

According to the report, violence orchestrated largely by suspected Fulani militias and armed herders has ravaged 13 Local Government Areas between 2001 and May 2025.

In addition to the staggering death toll, the violence has left communities desolate, displaced thousands, and undermined the economic, cultural, and social fabric of the state.

Gen. Rogers disclosed that the documented figures could be an underestimation, as many incidents remain unreported.

The committee’s analysis showed 35% of livestock destroyed, 32.5% of communities displaced, 16.8% of food supplies wiped out, 9.9% of homes ruined, and 3.4% of land illegally occupied.

He identified the root causes of the crisis as criminal exploitation of natural resources, historical grievances, ethnic mistrust, and fierce competition over land.

“The violence is coordinated, the motives are deliberate, and the consequences are devastating,” Gen. Rogers said, urging leaders to seize the moment for decisive action and transformative peace building.

Responding, Governor Mutfwang commended the committee’s painstaking work and promised to forward the report to the Federal Government.

He revealed that more than 1,000 recruits are set for training under Operation Rainbow, the state’s security outfit, while peace-building activities are being intensified at grassroots level.

“Our approach must combine kinetic and non-kinetic measures if we are to get results,” Mutfwang noted, adding that his administration would also focus on poverty alleviation, infrastructure, and human capital development.