Key Points

• Plateau violence claimed 11,000 lives and 420 communities.

• Fact-finding committee denies blaming Fulani herders alone.

• Panel urges strong government action to restore peace.

The Plateau State Fact-Finding Committee on Incessant Attacks and Killings has revealed that at least 11,000 people have died and 420 communities have been wiped out in two decades of violence.

The committee’s chairman, retired Major General Nicholas Rogers, submitted the report to Governor Caleb Mutfwang in Jos.

The 10-member panel, set up in May 2025, investigated the causes of recurring crises that have plagued the state since 2001.

The findings showed that 13 local government areas suffered repeated attacks, leaving entire communities sacked and thousands displaced.

Committee clarifies Fulani herders not solely responsible

Media reports had claimed that the panel blamed Fulani herders, especially those from neighboring states, for the killings.

But Rogers dismissed the claims, saying the crisis was not tied to any single ethnic group.

“The crisis in Plateau State is not domiciled in any ethnic group,” Rogers said at a press briefing in Jos.

“It is wrong to point fingers at only Fulani. All groups have made mistakes that fueled the crisis.”

He stressed that only the governor has access to the report’s recommendations, which are not yet public.

Rogers also said reprisal attacks continue to drive violence, urging elites and community leaders to stop encouraging youths to take the law into their own hands.

“We advise the elite to instruct their youth to report issues to authorities instead of resorting to violence. People should lay down their arms,” he said.

Calls for peace and caution against negotiating with bandits

The committee urged the Plateau government to show the political will to implement recommendations that could restore lasting peace.

Meanwhile, the League of Northern Democrats warned against calls for negotiations with bandits in northern Nigeria.

In a statement, the group’s Assistant National Publicity Secretary, Mohmood Hassan, said dialogue without security guarantees would legitimize terror.

“True peace requires secure zones, verified disarmament, neutral venues, and enforced ceasefires,” the group said. “Granting criminals a free pass undermines both security and accountability.”

The LND urged northern governors to step up security efforts and address insecurity and other challenges threatening the region.

It also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission for handling party registration transparently and urged it to sustain public trust in the electoral system.