Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has issued a heartfelt apology to the residents of Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) for the government and security agencies’ failure to safeguard lives and property. On Monday, 51 people were killed in Zikke community, with homes destroyed and many displaced, just weeks after a similar attack claimed numerous lives in Bokkos LGA.

Speaking on Tuesday at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Miango, Governor Mutfwang expressed deep regret, saying, “I’ve been crying since yesterday because I trusted God that our security arrangements would prevent this. We’ve invested in security, but human plans sometimes fail. On Sunday night into Monday, we failed you. Please forgive me.” He urged residents to support security efforts by sharing vital information to counter criminals.

Accompanied by security chiefs and state executive council members, Mutfwang visited Zikke to condole with families over the loss of over 50 lives. The Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, Ronku Aka, called for government support through social amenities. The governor also visited grieving families, where victims had already been buried, amid community demands for action against rising insecurity.

Plateau State has long faced persistent attacks, with recent violence intensifying the decades-old crisis in the North-Central region. President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks and directed security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators. While some attribute the conflict to farmer-herder disputes over resources, Mutfwang described it as sponsored and genocidal, noting that gunmen have overtaken 64 communities in the state.

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