Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has described the recent deadly attack in Jos as ‘shocking’ after months of relative calm.
According to him, the prolonged period of calm in the area prior to the incident made the incident unexpected.
Speaking on Politics Today on Friday, the governor noted that the community had enjoyed between 10 months and one year of relative peace.
“As a matter of fact, the community was blindsided. The security personnel were also caught off guard because of the relative peace we have enjoyed… nobody envisaged this kind of thing,” he said.
Mutfwang disclosed that the attackers appeared to have studied the behaviour of residents before launching the assault, adding that they disguised their operation to resemble that of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which frequently carries out raids in nearby areas.
“People initially assumed it was an NDLEA operation and did not resist, but when they realised what was happening, a lot of damage had already been done,” he added.
The attack, which occurred on March 29, left at least 28 people dead, including students and staff of the University of Jos, with sporadic violence also reported in surrounding communities.
Despite the development, the governor expressed optimism that the incident would not become a recurring pattern, describing it as “unfortunate and worrisome,” particularly as it took place within the city centre.
In response, authorities have reinforced security deployment across affected areas, while residents continue to call for sustained intervention to restore stability.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu visited Jos on Thursday to sympathise with victims and their families, pledging to end the cycle of violence and announcing plans to install 5,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras to strengthen intelligence gathering.
The President also invited community leaders to Abuja for further dialogue aimed at addressing the security challenges in the state.
