The House of Representatives has raised fresh concern over the worsening humanitarian toll of prolonged violence in Plateau State, disclosing that more than 18,000 homes have been destroyed and about 80,000 people displaced by years of repeated attacks.
The disclosure was made on Tuesday during a high-level stakeholders’ conference held in Jos, convened to explore lasting solutions to the persistent insecurity affecting communities across the state.Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, described the situation as deeply troubling, noting that Plateau has endured waves of violence since 2001, with devastating consequences across several local government areas.Represented by Hon. John Dafaan, the Speaker said the worst-affected areas include Jos North, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South, adding that renewed attacks between December 2023 and April 2024 further escalated the humanitarian crisis.
He recalled the Christmas Eve attacks that hit 17 communities, leaving more than 200 people dead.
“Over 18,000 houses, places of worship and farmlands have been destroyed, while about 400 communities have been displaced, leaving roughly 80,000 internally displaced persons,” he said.
Tajudeen warned against simplistic explanations of the crisis, stressing that the violence is driven by a complex mix of historical grievances, land disputes, economic hardship, climate pressures and criminal activity.
He assured that the National Assembly would pursue legislative interventions aimed at strengthening security architecture, improving land administration laws and enhancing conflict resolution mechanisms.
He also disclosed plans to prioritise funding in upcoming budget cycles for the reconstruction of destroyed communities, trauma care centres and modern security infrastructure.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, said the state government had intensified both kinetic and non-kinetic responses, including the revitalisation of Operation Rainbow and deployment of surveillance technology.
He added that more than 300 security vehicles had been refurbished to improve rapid response, while peacebuilding and reconciliation initiatives were ongoing in affected communities.
Despite these efforts, he acknowledged that attacks persist in some rural areas, calling for stronger collaboration among all stakeholders.
Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. (Dr.) Wale Hammed, said the dialogue was aimed at developing sustainable solutions to insecurity in Plateau and beyond.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for security deployments and humanitarian interventions in affected areas, while insisting that lasting peace requires community participation.
“Peace cannot be achieved by guns alone,” he said, calling for the involvement of traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth in the peace process.
Participants at the conference, themed “Restoring Stability and Unity: A Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Security in Plateau State and Beyond,” urged authorities to ensure that recommendations from past peace meetings are implemented to avoid repeating cycles of violence.
They expressed cautious optimism that renewed collaboration between the Presidency, the National Assembly and the Plateau State Government would finally yield sustainable peace in the state.
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