ENOUGH IS ENOUGH; PLATEAU STATE NEEDS PROTECTION, NOT EXCUSES: AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR MUFTWANG*
By Sylvester Udemezue
MEMORY VERSE
“Security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” ≈Section 14(2)(b), The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999
BACKGROUND
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The Plateau State Government recently issued a public condemnation of the Nigerian military’s failure to protect communities suffering repeated bandit attacks in the state, stating that troops had “failed to foil the attack” despite being deployed to the affected areas. In response, the government formally requested the deployment of Mobile Police units, citing their greater suitability for rapid and flexible intervention in rural and hard-to-reach communities. It also demanded the withdrawal of military personnel from the specific localities concerned, arguing that the continued military presence has not translated into improved security, and that the Mobile Police may be more effective in tackling banditry at the grassroots level. [See: “Bandit attacks: Plateau Govt asks for Mobile Police, demands withdrawal of military”(published on 19 July 2026)]
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This expression of dissatisfaction, frustration and the accompanying demand mark a significant shift in Plateau State’s security strategy, away from a predominantly military-led approach toward empowering police-led, paramilitary responses in bandit-affected rural areas. The move also reflects the government’s deep frustration with the escalating insecurity in the state and the widespread perception that military deployments have been either ineffective or misaligned with the nature of the threat posed by these attacks.
MY REACTION/OPINION:
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Your Excellency, dear Governor Muftwang, Sir, with due respect, you appear overwhelmed and ill-prepared to fulfill your fundamental duty of protecting the lives and property of the people of Plateau State.
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There is no doubt that the Federal forces have long failed in their primary responsibility to provide security and ensure the safety of Nigerians. A significant portion of our military and police personnel (whose salaries are funded by the people’s taxes) have been diverted to serve the private security needs of high-profile individuals and organizations, leaving the general populace dangerously exposed to attacks by terrorists, religious extremists, and ethnic supremacists operating with impunity.
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Acknowledging their own shortcomings, the Federal Government has granted governors, including yourself, the liberty and constitutional backing to initiate urgent, pragmatic, and localised solutions to secure your people.
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Regrettably, however, instead of rising to this occasion with decisive action, Your Excellency has continued to lament publicly, giving the impression of helplessness in the face of a deepening humanitarian and security crisis.
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While your people are being slaughtered daily like animals, you appear to remain bogged down in blame-shifting and rhetorical appeals, rather than deploying bold, actionable strategies to forestall further loss of innocent lives.
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Sadly, this pattern of ineffectiveness is not peculiar to Plateau State; it reflects a broader national tragedy in which many parts of Nigeria are under the leadership of individuals who lack the vision, courage, and competence needed in these perilous times.
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Your Excellency, what stops you from immediately establishing a well-trained, well-equipped state security outfit or community-based vigilante corps of 10,000 to 20,000 personnel under full government employment, empowered and armed to defend Plateau State from internal aggression, in line with constitutional and security advisories? The DSS and even the President of the Federal Republic have expressly encouraged states to take their own protective measures. What then are you waiting for?
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If the burden of governance has become too heavy, and if you’re genuinely out of ideas, then with all due respect, it might be time to step aside and allow someone with clearer vision and stronger will to take the reins and defend the people of Plateau State. The lives of your people should not be subject to continual slaughter while their leader stands by, seemingly paralysed by indecision.
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MY CONCLUSION: “The REALITY is that, if we fail to rise now and defend ourselves against the terrorists who are determined to erase indigenous populations from Nigeria, we may one day wake up to find they have succeeded. The bandits and criminal elements wreaking havoc across the country are not acting randomly; they are on a deliberate mission. The sooner we acknowledge this harsh reality, the better….The time for pragmatic, decisive action is now. We must take our destiny into our own hands if we hope to secure a safe and stable Nigeria for both present and future generations. Let us, therefore, be careful not to ignore this REALITY; anyone who succeeds in ignoring reality will not succeed in escaping the consequences of doing so.” READ MORE: “Worsening Insecurity in Nigeria: President Tinubu’s Directive to Governor Mutfwang Is a Positive Development; State Governors Must Now Take Responsibility, Arm Their People, and Confront Terrorism Head-On – No More Excuses!”By Sylvester Udemezue [published on 18 April 2025].
