Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that the recent killings in Plateau State must never be repeated. He made the statement during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's visit to the state to commiserate with residents following the attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area. Yilwatda described the killings as inhuman, cowardly and reprehensible, calling them a direct assault on Plateau's peace and unity. The President was received by Yilwatda, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, former governors, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders.
In a statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Yilwatda condemned the recurring violence and stressed the need for coordinated, result-oriented action. He accused some perpetrators of operating from within communities, shielded by silence or complicity. He urged community leaders to report suspicious activities and called on security agencies to upgrade tactics using modern tools like AI-powered cameras, drones, and real-time intelligence systems. Yilwatda warned that outdated security methods cannot counter adaptive criminal networks. He highlighted Plateau's tourism and agricultural potential, noting that persistent violence threatens economic growth and youth opportunities. President Tinubu, alongside Yilwatda and Mutfwang, visited families of victims in a gesture of national mourning and solidarity.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda's call for technological upgrades in security sounds progressive, but Plateau has heard strong words before. Without evidence of new funding, deployment, or accountability, this latest statement risks joining the long list of unfulfilled promises. If the same patterns of violence persist after each condemnation, Nigerians may begin to see such declarations as performance, not policy.
