Plateau Violence Claimed 11,000 Lives, Razed 420 Communities — Fact-Finding Committee

The Chairman of the Plateau State Fact-Finding Committee on Incessant Attacks and Killings, Major General Nicholas Rogers (rtd), has disclosed that over 11,000 people have been killed and at least 420 communities destroyed in Plateau State across two decades of recurring violence.

The revelation came last week when the 10-member panel submitted its report to Governor Caleb Mutfwang at the Government House, Jos. The committee, inaugurated in May 2025, was tasked with probing the root causes of the unrest that has plagued the state since 2001.

According to the findings, 13 local government areas have been repeatedly targeted in the period under review, leaving entire communities sacked and thousands displaced.

However, the report has sparked controversy after some media outlets claimed it indicted Fulani herders as the primary perpetrators of the killings.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, General Rogers refuted the claims, stressing that no single ethnic group was solely responsible for the crisis.

“The crisis in Plateau State is not domiciled in any ethnic group. All the ethnic groups are involved. It is wrong to pinpoint any particular tribe and say it is responsible. We have all made mistakes in one way or the other, and it is those mistakes that led to this issue of crisis,” he said.

He added: “It is wrong to insinuate that only Fulani are responsible. We have submitted our report to the governor, and it is only the governor who has access to the recommendations. The paper is not in the public domain. So where will anyone see the recommendations claiming one particular tribe was indicted?”

The committee chairman noted that reprisal attacks have been the major driver of the violence, urging elites and community leaders to caution young people against resorting to self-help.

“We advise the elite to always instruct their youth to report cases to the relevant authorities and allow investigations to be conducted properly. We urge people to lay down their arms,” Rogers appealed.

He further called on the Plateau State government to demonstrate strong political will in implementing the committee’s recommendations in order to restore sustainable peace.

LND cautions against negotiating with bandits

Meanwhile, the League of Northern Democrats (LND) has cautioned against the growing calls for negotiation with bandits operating across northern Nigeria, warning that any dialogue must be conducted under strict, verifiable conditions.

In a communiqué issued after a meeting in Abuja, the group’s Assistant National Publicity Secretary, Mohmood Hassan, warned that granting concessions to criminals under the guise of peace would amount to legitimizing terror.

“True peace processes require military-secured areas, enforced ceasefires, neutral venues, third-party verification of disarmament, and strict civilian protection. The Katsina episode ignored these fundamentals and undermined both security and accountability,” the statement read.

The LND urged Northern governors to take stronger measures in securing their states, insisting that excuses of structural limitations cannot justify failure to protect citizens.

The group also called on stakeholders to prioritize repositioning the North by tackling insecurity and other existential challenges.

In addition, it commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the transparent handling of its ongoing political party registration exercise, urging the body to sustain credibility and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

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