
ABUJA, Nigeria – A fact-finding committee set up by the Plateau State Government has uncovered that nearly 12,000 people were killed and over 420 communities attacked across the state between 2001 and 2025.
Presenting the report in Jos, committee chairman, Major General Rogers Nicholas (rtd.) said the findings were based on extensive engagements with security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and civil society groups, as well as visits to all 17 local government areas.
He revealed that ethnic mistrust, land disputes, kidnappings, cattle rustling, and illegal mining had fuelled the crisis, while porous borders provided entry routes for attackers. Testimonies also consistently identified armed Fulani militias as the main perpetrators, though other criminal groups were implicated.
“With over 420 communities attacked and nearly 12,000 lives lost, Plateau cannot afford business as usual. This report provides a roadmap for peace, healing, and rebuilding,” General Nicholas said.
Receiving the two-volume report, Governor Caleb Mutfwang described it as a turning point in the state’s long fight against insecurity.
“When I first spoke about this crisis, I was called a liar and an alarmist. But this report provides irrefutable evidence because only the truth can set our people free,” he said, pledging to forward the recommendations to the President and relevant authorities.
“This report is not going to gather dust on the shelves. We seek solutions, not arguments. Insecurity has distracted us from development for too long. That must change,” the governor added.
The report recommends urgent interventions to restore peace, rebuild trust, and ensure justice for victims of violence in Plateau State.