The Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, has revealed that gunmen responsible for the recent deadly attack in Jos disguised themselves as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in order to gain access to the community before opening fire.
The attack occurred in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, on Sunday, leaving at least 28 persons dead and several others injured.
The governor disclosed that no arrests have been made so far in connection with the incident.
On Thursday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Plateau State to commiserate with families affected by the attack.
During the visit, the President met with bereaved families, traditional rulers, and government officials, while also directing security agencies to track down and arrest those responsible for the killings.
The attack has sparked outrage across the country, with many Nigerians calling for urgent action to address the growing security challenges in the state.
Speaking during a one-on-one interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Mutfwang explained that the attackers deliberately adopted a familiar pattern associated with NDLEA raids in order to deceive residents.
According to him, people in the area were accustomed to NDLEA operatives conducting operations in neighbouring communities, particularly targeting drug-related activities.
“Obviously, the attackers have studied the psychology of the people who are used to seeing operatives of the NDLEA who come to raid neighbouring communities in search of drug addicts and what have you,” he said.
“So, they came in that manner, hooded, and were shooting in the manner NDLEA officers used to shoot. So people took it for granted that it was an NDLEA incursion… and they didn’t resist it initially.”
The governor explained that by the time residents realised the attackers were not security operatives, significant damage had already been done.
“But when they realised it, a lot of damage had been done. And before they could wake up to begin to pursue these attackers, they had made an escape. It’s quite unfortunate,” he added.
Mutfwang said security agencies are currently working with credible intelligence to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
“At the moment, no arrests have been made in regard to this particular attack. But I’d like to assure Plateau people and Nigerians that we have some actionable intelligence that the security agencies are following up,” he stated.
However, he declined to provide further details about the investigation.
“We have some very useful leads that we hope will be able to lead us to who these attackers are. I don’t want to make a premature statement as to their identities,” he said.
The governor described the attack as premeditated and professionally executed, noting that the gunmen appeared to have advanced weapon-handling skills.
He also said both residents and security agencies were caught off guard, largely because Plateau had enjoyed relative peace for about 10 months prior to the attack.
While acknowledging the anger and frustration among residents, Mutfwang urged the public to avoid reprisals.
According to him, the attackers’ main objective was to destabilise the state and undermine ongoing peacebuilding efforts.
He therefore called on residents to remain calm and law-abiding while security agencies continue investigations into the incident.
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