By Nkechi Eze
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has commended the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Plateau State to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent killings of residents of Angwan Rukuba.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, the APC National Chairman described the president’s visit as a demonstration of responsive leadership, empathy, and national solidarity at a time when the people of Plateau are mourning the loss of loved ones following the attack in Jos North Local Government Area.
According to the statement, President Tinubu was received in the state by the APC National Chairman, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, alongside former governors, political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, elders, women and youth representatives, and other stakeholders from across the state.
Speaking during the visit, Yilwatda condemned the killings in the strongest terms, describing the attack as inhuman, cowardly, reprehensible, and a direct assault on the peace, unity, and stability of Plateau State.
He said the continued shedding of innocent blood in the state represents a national tragedy that must no longer be treated with routine outrage and temporary responses.
Yilwatda stressed that the time had come for deliberate, coordinated, and result-oriented efforts by relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure that such attacks do not occur again in Plateau State or anywhere else in the country.
He called on community leaders across Plateau State to be more vigilant and proactive in identifying and reporting suspicious movements and security threats within their communities.
According to him, the recurring pattern of violence suggests that many of those responsible for the attacks are not invisible invaders but criminal elements living within or around affected communities, exploiting local vulnerabilities to unleash violence on innocent citizens.
The APC chairman insisted that such perpetrators must no longer be shielded by silence, fear, complicity, or communal indifference, stressing that they must be identified, exposed, apprehended, and made to face the full weight of the law.
He also urged security agencies to rethink and strengthen their operational strategies in tackling the persistent violence in Plateau State.
Yilwatda emphasized that security agencies cannot continue to rely on outdated tactics against increasingly adaptive and ruthless criminal networks.
He advocated the deployment of modern surveillance and intelligence-driven technologies such as artificial intelligence-powered cameras, drones, advanced tracking systems, and real-time intelligence gathering mechanisms to detect, monitor, and neutralize criminal elements before attacks occur.
According to him, protecting lives and property must increasingly rely not only on manpower but also on technology, intelligence, precision, and accountability.
The APC chairman warned that Plateau State cannot continue to experience cycles of mourning while perpetrators of violence move freely and repeatedly attack innocent citizens.
He also highlighted the economic consequences of insecurity in the state, lamenting that Plateau despite being endowed with remarkable natural landscapes, tourism attractions, and agricultural potential has continued to suffer setbacks due to recurring violence.
Yilwatda noted that Plateau has long been regarded as one of Nigeria’s peaceful destinations with thriving tourism and cultural assets, but insecurity threatens these opportunities.
“No economy can thrive where fear reigns, no investment can flourish where blood is spilled, and no society can truly prosper where innocent citizens live under the shadow of insecurity,” he said.
He warned that without adequate protection of lives and communities, the social and economic future of the state could be severely threatened, depriving residents, particularly young people, of prosperity, stability, and hope.
Yilwatda therefore called for a whole-of-society approach to ending violence in Plateau State, urging traditional rulers, religious leaders, political actors, youth groups, women’s organisations, security agencies, and community stakeholders to work together in restoring peace and stability.
The APC statement added that during the visit, other leaders from across Plateau State also spoke on the disturbing security situation in the state and the urgent need for decisive and sustained intervention to stop the bloodshed and restore public confidence.
As part of the visit, President Tinubu, accompanied by Yilwatda, Governor Mutfwang, former leaders, and other stakeholders, visited families of victims of the Angwan Rukuba attack.
The visit to the bereaved families was described as an emotional moment of compassion and national mourning, during which the president shared in their pain and offered words of comfort and reassurance.
The party noted that the president’s visit was not merely symbolic but a clear signal that the Federal Government stands firmly with the people of Plateau State and remains committed to confronting the menace of violent attacks with renewed urgency.
According to the statement, the president is expected to continue broader engagements with community leaders and other stakeholders in Plateau State to evolve practical and lasting solutions that will guarantee sustainable peace, justice, reconciliation, and security.
The APC reiterated that the lives of Plateau citizens are sacred and must be protected, stressing that those responsible for the killings must be identified, arrested, and brought to justice.
The party emphasized that Plateau deserves peace, healing, and protection, insisting that the state must never again be allowed to experience such cycles of violence.
