Jos Massacre: I utilized an armored car to get a better view during my condolence trip, says Mutfwang

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has revealed that his decision to visit the scene of a deadly gunmen attack in Angwan Rukuba community in an armoured personnel carrier was motivated by a desire to project his voice effectively to the crowd and was also based on the advice of security operatives.

This explanation was offered by Mutfwang during an interview on Channels TV's Politics Today programme, which was monitored by a correspondent, and came days after a viral video emerged showing him standing briefly through the roof hatch of the bulletproof vehicle while addressing a crowd of agitated residents.

Mutfwang clarified that the height afforded by the armoured vehicle enabled him to address the crowd more effectively, stating "From the height I stood, part of the reason they put me in the ATC was for me to gain height in order to address the crowd."

As the chief security officer of the state, Mutfwang asserted that he acted on the guidance of security personnel amid the tense atmosphere created by the Palm Sunday night assault, which resulted in the loss of at least 28 lives and left many others injured.

Following his attendance at an APC National Convention and security meetings in Abuja, Mutfwang rushed back to Jos and visited the scene of the attack the next day, where he urged residents not to take the law into their own hands and assured them that justice would be served to the perpetrators.

During his visit, Mutfwang announced a 48-hour curfew in Jos North Local Government Area and pledged that the state government would cover the treatment costs of the injured and organise befitting burials for the deceased.

Mutfwang noted that short social media clips had distorted the full context of his engagement with the community, pointing out that he spent about 90 per cent of his time on the ground, viewing corpses, interacting with affected families, and calming the situation.

The governor described the brief moment captured on video from the vehicle as misleading, adding that the crowd later invited him to come closer, chanting "come, come," after which he engaged more directly with them.

Mutfwang condemned the killings as "heinous," "evil," and "senseless," and admitted that he had been unable to sleep since receiving news of the incident, reiterating that Plateau would not yield to terror or intimidation.

He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to restoring peace and stability in the state, noting that collaboration with the Federal Government would bolster local efforts to achieve this goal.

Mutfwang stated, "We are resolute in rebuilding trust within our communities and restoring Plateau's spirit of peace and hospitality," underscoring his determination to address the crisis.

The governor expressed his gratitude for the President's visit and assured him of the state government's commitment to ending decades of violence in the state.

Mutfwang acknowledged the efforts of previous administrations, including those of Sen. Joshua Chibi Dariye, Sen. Jonah David Jang, and Sen. Simon Lalong, in tackling insecurity in the state, and emphasized that his administration is leading efforts to unify stakeholders in order to decisively confront terrorism in the state.