President Bola Tinubu has vowed that the federal government will intensify efforts to halt the recurring violence in Plateau State, insisting that the cycle of bloodshed must come to an end.
Speaking through Senate President Godswill Akpabio at a political rally in Jos on Saturday, the President said the administration is closely monitoring the security situation and is troubled by the frequency of attacks across several communities.
Senator Akpabio, while addressing thousands of supporters at the Jos Polo Ground, conveyed Tinubu’s message that the federal authorities have not ignored the hardship and trauma endured by residents.
“Your cries have reached the President. Too many people have died on the Plateau, and too many families have been displaced.
”The President is not happy, and we are determined to stop this tragedy. Plateau deserves peace; your children deserve a future, ” he said.
Plateau State has been one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions this year, with renewed assaults in Bokkos, Bassa and other border communities leaving dozens dead and thousands uprooted from their homes.
The persistent violence has led to protests across Jos, with civil groups labelling the killings as “genocide” and demanding more decisive intervention. Entire settlements have been torched, farmlands razed and widespread looting reported.
Earlier this year, Governor Caleb Mutfwang publicly apologised to residents of Bassa Local Government Area for the state’s inability to prevent repeated attacks, acknowledging that security agencies had fallen short of expectations.
The debate over the nature of the conflict intensified when former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Christians were being “exterminated,” reportedly urging possible American intervention.
However, both the Federal Government and the African Union cautioned against describing the crisis as genocide, stressing that the violence is driven by a complex mix of land disputes, criminal gangs and farmer–herder tensions.
The rally also doubled as a major political event, marked by a wave of high-profile defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President’s message was delivered as several prominent political figures formally joined the party.
Among the defectors were the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate, Patrick Dakum; retired Major General John Sura; former Plateau North senator Istifanus Gyang; and other influential members of the PDP and Labour Party.
Speaking on behalf of the new entrants, former Mutfwang Campaign Organisation Director-General Latep Dabang said the mass defection reflected growing disenchantment with the state’s leadership.
“We assure you we won’t fail you. Plateau is now APC,” he declared.
APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, described the defections as evidence of the party’s “unstoppable momentum” in the state. “Today, Plateau stands united behind one party,” he said.
“It is APC or nothing. President Tinubu will win Plateau, and APC will take the governorship.”
The rally also featured remarks from Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, representing the Progressive Governors’ Forum, who urged more political leaders in the region to align with the ruling party.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kanu pledged federal legislative support to the defectors, saying the National Assembly was committed to advancing the APC’s agenda in Plateau.
APC flags and symbolic brooms were handed to the new members as the crowd erupted in chants and solidarity songs, signalling a dramatic shift in the state’s political landscape.
