Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has publicly apologised to residents of Bassa Local Government Area over the inability of the government and security agencies to safeguard lives and property.
The apology followed a brutal attack early Monday in the Zikke community, where 51 individuals were killed, houses were destroyed, and scores displaced.
The incident came just two weeks after a similar deadly assault in Bokkos LGA.
On Tuesday, Governor Mutfwang visited the palace of the Paramount Ruler in Miango, where he expressed deep remorse over the tragic events.
“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 will not happen again. We have made investments in security,” he said.
“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.”
He called on the people to stay vigilant and continue supporting the efforts of security agencies by sharing intelligence and exposing the operations of criminal elements threatening their communities.
Governor Mutfwang, accompanied by security leaders and members of the state executive council, visited Zikke to sympathise with grieving families.
The victims of the attack have since been buried.
During the visit, the Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, Ronku Aka—also known as the Brangwe of Irigwe—appealed to the government to provide essential social infrastructure to the affected communities.
In addition to his palace visit, the governor met several families directly impacted by the violence, assuring them of the government’s commitment to security and recovery.
The repeated attacks in Plateau State have intensified concerns over longstanding security issues in the region.
While analysts often attribute the conflict to farmer-herder tensions, Governor Mutfwang characterised the killings as deliberate and genocidal.
According to him, more than 64 communities across Plateau have now been overrun by gunmen.
President Bola Tinubu, responding to the recent violence, condemned the attacks and directed security agencies to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice.
