Governor Caleb Mutfwang urges the Nigerian Army to confront attackers in Plateau as enemies threatening national sovereignty.
JOS, PLATEAU STATE — Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has called on the Nigerian Army to adopt a more aggressive operational strategy against armed groups terrorising communities across the state, insisting that the violence should be treated as combat operations against enemies of the nation rather than conventional peacekeeping missions.
The governor made the appeal while receiving the newly appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, during a courtesy visit in Jos.
His remarks come amid renewed attacks in Plateau communities that have left scores dead, displaced thousands of residents and heightened calls for stronger security measures across Nigeria's Middle Belt.
Governor Mutfwang said the nature of violence confronting Plateau has gone beyond communal disputes, describing the attackers as organised criminal elements threatening the country's territorial integrity.
He urged the military to view ongoing operations through the lens of national defence rather than routine internal security assignments.
According to the governor, Plateau has endured repeated attacks on rural communities despite continuous military deployments, making it necessary to strengthen offensive operations against armed groups.
He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to supporting security agencies with logistics, intelligence and inter-agency collaboration aimed at restoring lasting peace.
Responding, Major General Oyinlola assured the governor that the Nigerian Army would sustain ongoing security operations across Plateau and neighbouring states.
He pledged to build on existing security gains recorded under Operation Enduring Peace, while strengthening cooperation with other security agencies operating in the state.
The GOC noted that intelligence-driven operations, community engagement and rapid response mechanisms would remain central to the military's strategy.
Plateau has remained one of Nigeria's most volatile states for more than two decades, with recurring violence affecting communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Mangu, Bassa and Jos South.
In recent months alone, several attacks have claimed dozens of lives, destroyed homes and forced thousands of residents to seek refuge in safer locations.
Security experts say the conflict has evolved beyond farmer-herder disputes, involving criminal gangs, armed militias and organised networks exploiting long-standing communal tensions.
Despite repeated military operations, attacks have continued to occur in isolated rural communities, particularly at night.
Governor Mutfwang has consistently advocated a comprehensive security approach combining military operations with improved intelligence gathering, community policing and socio-economic interventions.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations have also called for greater coordination among security agencies to prevent attacks before they occur.
Many stakeholders argue that rapid response alone is insufficient without addressing illegal arms proliferation, criminal financing and weaknesses in intelligence collection.
Beyond security concerns, Plateau State is also witnessing growing debate over governance issues.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Plateau State Council, has rejected a proposed bill seeking life pensions and other benefits for former members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
The labour union warned that it could mobilise workers to shut down legislative activities on July 30 if lawmakers proceed with the bill.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed that several foreign nationals were found residing in Plateau State for more than a year after their temporary work permits had expired.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing as part of efforts to strengthen immigration compliance and national security.
Plateau's security concerns mirror broader challenges confronting Nigeria's Middle Belt.
Neighbouring Benue State continues to battle repeated attacks on farming communities, while Kogi State recently witnessed the abduction of students and school officials during an attack on a secondary school in Dekina Local Government Area.
Across the region, security analysts have warned that coordinated responses are increasingly necessary as criminal groups operate across state boundaries.
Plateau occupies a strategic position in North Central Nigeria, serving as a major economic and transportation hub linking several states.
Persistent insecurity not only threatens lives but also disrupts agriculture, tourism, commerce and investment, with ripple effects extending beyond Plateau into neighbouring Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Bauchi states.
Governor Mutfwang's call reflects growing concern that conventional security measures may no longer be adequate to address increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Governor Mutfwang's remarks represent one of the clearest indications yet that Plateau State is pushing for a shift in Nigeria's security doctrine regarding violence in the Middle Belt.
By describing the attacks as threats to national sovereignty rather than isolated communal conflicts, the governor is advocating for a more robust military posture backed by intelligence-led policing and coordinated regional operations.
However, experience across the Middle Belt suggests that military action alone is unlikely to deliver lasting peace. Sustainable security will require stronger intelligence networks, effective prosecution of perpetrators, tighter control of illicit firearms, improved border surveillance and continued engagement with affected communities.
For Plateau, restoring confidence among residents will ultimately depend not only on deploying troops but on preventing attacks before they happen and creating conditions that allow displaced families to safely return to their homes and livelihoods.
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