As killings in Plateau and Benue states escalate with over 100 lives lost in recent weeks, Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to visit Plateau State today (Monday) in a move by the Federal Government to address the worsening crisis and restore peace.
This visit follows brutal attacks by gunmen on the Bokkos and Bassa communities, which have sparked national outrage and intensified calls for swift government action.
Confirming the visit, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, revealed during a weekend visit to affected areas in Bassa that President Bola Tinubu personally directed Shettima’s trip.
“Mr. President is greatly disturbed by the killings. That’s why the National Security Adviser visited earlier, and now the Vice President is coming to speak with local stakeholders,” said Yilwatda.
Shettima is expected to lead a high-level stakeholders’ meeting aimed at strengthening security operations and supporting peace-building at the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, who toured the ravaged communities alongside military leaders like Maj. Gen. Folusho Oyinlola, assured residents that justice will be served.
“We’re on top of the situation. The perpetrators will be tracked and prosecuted. Relief programs for victims—especially widows—have already begun,” Badaru said.
On another front, former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), reignited his earlier warning to Nigerians, urging them to defend themselves amidst what he described as the government’s failure to provide security.
Speaking in his hometown, Takum, in Taraba State, Danjuma lamented the killings in Benue and Plateau, insisting that relying solely on security agencies is no longer realistic.
“Nigerians must take responsibility for their own safety. The government has failed to protect us. We cannot sit back while our people are butchered,” he said firmly.
Also reacting, the Plateau Youth Council (PYC), Northern Zone, condemned the killings, branding them as genocidal and premeditated, rather than random communal violence.
Addressing journalists in Jos, PYC Northern Coordinator, Samson Chiroma, declared, “These are calculated attempts to wipe out our people, especially with the farming season starting. This is genocide, not a clash.”
Chiroma blamed Fulani militias for the assaults and criticized the Federal Government for what he called a disconnected and weak response.
“If the government really wants to end this bloodshed, they should start arresting those fueling violence with hate speech. It’s time to prove no one is above the law,” he added.
He called for an urgent revamp and reinforcement of Operation Rainbow—Plateau State’s security initiative—to better defend vulnerable communities.
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