President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to intensify operations against perpetrators of violent attacks in Plateau State, announcing the training of 1,000 forest guards and the procurement of surveillance cameras as part of fresh measures to restore peace to troubled communities.
The President also pledged to rebuild communities devastated by recurring attacks and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes, while warning that his administration would not tolerate political violence or voter intimidation ahead of the 2027 general election.
Tinubu made the declarations on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Jos, the Plateau State capital, where he outlined his administration’s response to the longstanding insecurity that has claimed numerous lives, destroyed homes and displaced families across the state.
The President said the Federal Government was strengthening security deployments, improving coordination among security agencies and investing in surveillance and early warning capabilities to prevent further attacks, particularly in vulnerable rural communities.
“I have directed all the security agencies to take decisive action and sustain peace and stability on the Plateau,” Tinubu declared.
“What we should be getting is prosperity, not havoc, not crisis. Our government is not elected to inflict wounds on one another or to bury people. We have to lift people up from adversity to prosperity.”
Plateau State has experienced recurring communal violence and attacks on rural settlements over several years, with insecurity disrupting farming activities, destroying livelihoods and forcing residents to abandon their communities.
The persistence of the violence has placed pressure on federal and state authorities to improve intelligence gathering, strengthen the protection of vulnerable settlements and establish conditions that would allow displaced families to return home.
Addressing these concerns, Tinubu disclosed that 1,000 forest guards were undergoing training for deployment as part of efforts to strengthen security in rural areas.
He said the government had also procured surveillance cameras previously promised to the state, explaining that the equipment would support intelligence gathering, early detection of threats and faster responses by security personnel.
“We are reinforcing security deployment and strengthening coordination and rapid response,” the President said.
“One thousand forest guards are undergoing training right now. You will feel them. You will see them. You will feel secure in your villages and communities.
“The surveillance cameras are already procured, as I promised. They will further strengthen early detection and early warning security operations.”
Tinubu maintained that the security interventions were intended to protect lives and property, restore confidence among residents and enable communities affected by violence to resume their economic activities.
He particularly acknowledged the difficulties confronting farmers and rural households whose livelihoods had been disrupted by attacks and displacement.
The President assured displaced families that the Federal Government would work with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other stakeholders to rebuild destroyed settlements and facilitate their safe return.
“I assure those displaced that we will rebuild your communities. We will rebuild your communities, and we will bring you back to your communities,” he pledged.
“To our displaced families, I say once again, government is working to see you return, to bring you back, to rebuild your communities.
“We will work with Caleb Mutfwang and other leaders to rebuild those communities and take you back to settle in the comfort of where you belong.”
Tinubu also expressed sympathy with families who had lost relatives and residents whose homes and means of livelihood had been destroyed.
He acknowledged the devastating consequences of the prolonged insecurity, describing the attacks as a source of deep suffering for communities across Plateau State.
“Crises and attacks have inflicted deep wounds on Plateau. Too many lives have been lost, homes destroyed, communities displaced.
“To every bereaved family, every survivor and everyone unable to return home, I offer my heartfelt condolences for your loss and pray that only God will console you,” he said.
The President urged residents to reject ethnic, religious and political divisions, stressing that lasting peace would require mutual respect, cooperation and a shared commitment to rebuilding the state.
He argued that differences in language, religion and cultural identity should not become grounds for hostility among communities.
“We are one single family created by the same God Almighty. We are just living in different rooms, speaking different languages and behaving in different ways, but living in different rooms and speaking different languages does not make us enemies of one another,” Tinubu stated.
“We have to live together. We have to farm together. We have to build this Plateau and this country together. It is our responsibility to behave as brothers and sisters.”
Turning to the forthcoming general election, Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration would provide security for voters to exercise their constitutional rights without fear.
He warned individuals and groups planning to disrupt political activities or intimidate the electorate that security agencies would act against attempts to undermine public order and the democratic process.
The President urged voters not to allow threats of violence to discourage them from participating in the elections, maintaining that the government was committed to ensuring a peaceful electoral atmosphere.
His remarks followed an earlier statement on Friday in which he condemned violence associated with political activities and directed security agencies to respond firmly to those attempting to disrupt public order.
Tinubu reiterated that political competition should not be accompanied by violence and that Nigerians must be able to participate freely in the electoral process.
At the rally, the President also canvassed support for APC candidates in the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state House of Assembly elections.
“APC, from top to bottom. APC, progress,” he declared.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who also addressed the gathering, praised Tinubu’s leadership, attributing what he described as progress in Plateau State and across the country to the President’s policies and interventions.
Shettima described Tinubu’s leadership as transformational and courageous, urging residents to support the President’s re-election bid.
He also commended Plateau residents for their contributions to Nigeria’s development in education, agriculture, the military, trade, culture and sports.
Describing the people of Plateau as “a gift to the nation,” the Vice-President said the APC had returned to seek a renewed mandate from the electorate.
He urged voters to support Tinubu, Governor Mutfwang and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also addressed the rally, disclosing that plans to establish state police were progressing as part of wider efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Akpabio said the proposed decentralisation of policing formed part of measures being considered to improve responses to security threats across the federation.
APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda highlighted what he described as the Federal Government’s security and infrastructure commitments to Plateau State.
He cited the procurement of surveillance cameras, the planned deployment of forest guards and the provision of additional military and security infrastructure.
According to Yilwatda, Plateau had benefited from federal road projects, two army battalions, a brigade and four security command centres.
The APC chairman described Tinubu as a “promise keeper,” arguing that the administration’s interventions demonstrated its commitment to addressing the state’s development and security challenges.
He urged residents to support the President at the ballot box, maintaining that the projects and security measures represented evidence of promises being fulfilled.
Governor Mutfwang, in his remarks, welcomed Tinubu to Jos, describing Plateau as a state with a longstanding reputation for peace, tourism and an important place in Nigeria’s political history.
He thanked the President for federal support in road infrastructure, education and healthcare, saying cooperation between the federal and state governments had contributed to development initiatives in Plateau.
The governor also outlined programmes being implemented by his administration to address employment, transportation and security challenges.
According to him, a state initiative would create opportunities for approximately 2,000 young people to work remotely for organisations in the United States and Europe.
Mutfwang also disclosed plans involving a technology-driven command centre to support crime detection and other security operations.
He said additional compressed natural gas (CNG) buses were being introduced to ease transportation difficulties and improve mobility for residents.
Despite these interventions, the governor acknowledged that Plateau continued to face security challenges, expressing hope that sustained government action would eventually enable displaced persons to return safely to their ancestral communities.
He maintained that continued collaboration between the federal and state governments would be essential to achieving lasting peace and economic recovery.
Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, also urged Plateau residents to vote for Tinubu, arguing that the President deserved another term in office.
Yari praised the administration’s economic management, saying increased federal revenues would provide governments with additional resources to finance infrastructure and public services.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, similarly canvassed support for Tinubu and Mutfwang, urging residents to compare the projects undertaken by previous administrations with those being implemented by the current government.
Former Plateau State governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ahmed Wase, and former deputy governor Pauline Tallen also pledged their support for Tinubu.
They cited federal projects in Plateau State and the appointment of indigenes to national positions, including Yilwatda’s emergence as APC national chairman, as reasons for supporting the President’s re-election bid.
Tinubu’s security commitments come amid continuing concerns over attacks on rural communities and the displacement of residents in Plateau State.
While the President announced the procurement of surveillance equipment and ongoing training of forest guards, the timelines for their full deployment and the rebuilding of affected communities were not specified.
The administration’s pledges will therefore depend on the implementation of the announced security measures, sustained cooperation with state authorities and the restoration of conditions that allow displaced families to return home safely.
Deji Elumoye
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