Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State has described the recent wave of killings in the state as genocidal and sponsored by terrorists, following attacks that have left over 50 people dead and thousands displaced in Bokkos Local Government Area.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored in Lagos on Tuesday, a visibly upset Muftwang suggested the violence was not random but a deliberate effort to erase entire communities.

“I can honestly say I see no other explanation than a case of genocide, sponsored by terrorists,” the governor said. “The real question is: who is behind these acts of terror? This is what security agencies must help us uncover.”

Muftwang urged security agencies to unite in their investigations, noting that only coordinated intelligence efforts can bring the crisis to an end.

He added that more than 64 communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom LGAs have been forcibly taken over by armed groups.

“These communities have been renamed and are now occupied by those who displaced the original inhabitants,” he stated.

Plateau State has witnessed repeated episodes of violence, with tensions peaking last Christmas when nearly 200 people were killed in an attack on a predominantly Christian village. In May 2023, at least 40 people were killed and homes razed in Wase.

While past violence has often been attributed to farmer-herder clashes and competition for land, Muftwang argued that the scale and coordination of recent attacks point to terrorism.

Earlier this week, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited affected communities and vowed to end the killings.