Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has revealed that security operatives and residents were caught off guard during the deadly attack in Angwan Rukuba on Palm Sunday, which left over 30 people dead. Speaking in a Channels TV interview on Friday, Mutfwang attributed the surprise to the relative peace the state had experienced in the past 10 to 12 months. He said the attackers exploited the community's familiarity with routine operations by disguising themselves as officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). "The attackers had studied the psychology of the people," Mutfwang said, explaining that residents initially mistook the gunmen for NDLEA operatives conducting a raid. This delayed any resistance, allowing the assailants to inflict heavy casualties before escaping. The governor described the incident as "unfortunate" and occurring in the city centre, a rare occurrence in recent times. Despite the shock, Mutfwang expressed confidence it would not happen again, calling it a "one-off event." President Bola Tinubu visited the state on Thursday to console families of the victims and pledged government action to prevent future attacks. The visit drew criticism from opposition figures Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, who accused Tinubu of neglecting affected communities and running an unresponsive government.
The governor's admission that attackers mimicked NDLEA operatives exposes a dangerous vulnerability in public perception of security forces. When armed men can blend in because their behaviour mirrors that of official agents, it suggests a deeper crisis of trust and visibility in law enforcement operations. Mutfwang's confidence that this was a one-off may offer little comfort to residents who now know how easily violence can be disguised as authority. For Nigerians, the attack is not just a security failure but a chilling demonstration of how predictability can be weaponised.
