Mutfwang: Attack on Bin Mper Community, Attack on Me
By Comfort Pius, Jos
Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has condemned the deadly attack on Bin Mper Community in the Kombun District of the Mangu Local Government Area, describing the incident as an attack not only on the community but also on his person and the government’s resolve to protect the people.
Mutfwang stated this on Thursday when he visited the community to condole with families of victims of the attack, which occurred on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, leaving several people dead and others injured.
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The governor, who expressed deep pain over the incident, described the attack as barbaric, senseless, and unacceptable, assuring the people that his administration would deploy additional strategies to strengthen security and prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.
“This is not an attack on the community alone; it is an attack on me. I pray that God will grant you peace and comfort. The police have said that some persons have been arrested, and we will follow the matter to its logical conclusion.
“We will do everything within our powers to ensure that you remain on your land. Nobody will take over your land,” he assured.
Mutfwang said the attack occurred despite the government’s recent review of its security architecture in collaboration with security agencies, including the new General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Nigerian Army.
He called for stronger intelligence gathering, proactive operations, and better coordination among security agencies to ensure that attacks on vulnerable communities were prevented before they occurred.
The governor also assured the people of Bin Mper and the wider Mwaghavul community that his administration would not relent in its efforts to protect lives and property, saying the government remained committed to ensuring that citizens could remain safely on their ancestral lands.
He condoled with the families of those killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured, while commending Plateau youths for their resilience and continued support for efforts to secure their communities.
Mutfwang urged the youths to remain peaceful, vigilant, and law-abiding, stressing that the fight against insecurity required collective efforts by communities, traditional institutions, government, and security agencies.
Earlier, the governor received a security briefing from the General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Nigerian Army, during which he called for more proactive and intelligence-driven measures to protect vulnerable communities.
He later paid a sympathy visit to the Mishkagham Mwaghavul, His Royal Highness, Da. John Putmang Hirse, where he condoled with the traditional ruler, the bereaved families, and the entire Mwaghavul nation.
Mutfwang assured the traditional ruler that he would not abandon the people, stressing that his administration remained determined to defeat banditry and other forms of criminality threatening the state.
Responding, Da. Putmang Hirse thanked the governor for identifying with the people at a difficult moment and described the attack as senseless and deliberate.
“This is something we least expected. People were asleep when they were massacred. Mangu is one of the most peaceful Local Government Areas. We live peacefully with our neighbours and accommodate visitors, yet we were attacked,” he said.
The traditional ruler assured that the Mwaghavul people would remain peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that the attack would not force them to abandon their ancestral land.
Also speaking, the President of the Mwaghavul Development Association Women’s Wing, Mrs. Grace Joseph Gora, sympathised with the bereaved families and described the attack as unacceptable.
She appealed to the women to remain calm and peaceful while supporting government and security agencies in their efforts to restore lasting peace.
Mutfwang was accompanied on the visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Dr. Mrs. Abiodun Esiet; top government officials; and heads of security agencies in the state.