Jos Tragedy: Mutfwang Explains Why He Spoke From Armoured Vehicle

Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, has explained why he addressed residents from an armoured personnel carrier during his visit to Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area on Monday. The governor’s visit followed a violent attack in the community on Sunday evening, which left approximately 28 people dead and several others injured.

According to Ireporter Online, Mutfwang arrived at the scene with a heavy security presence, including the armoured vehicle, as he addressed a tense crowd that had surrounded his convoy. Clips of the visit quickly circulated on social media, sparking widespread reactions and debate.

In an interview with Channels Television on Friday, the governor clarified that his use of the armoured vehicle was not motivated by fear. He said he had been in Abuja for official duties, including a high-level security meeting, when news of the attack reached him, prompting his immediate return to Plateau State.

Mutfwang noted that residents at the scene had initially refused to allow the evacuation of the victims’ bodies until he arrived. “Unless they see the governor, they are not going to allow those corpses to be evacuated,” he said.

The governor explained that while he intended to drive straight to the scene, security operatives advised caution due to what they assessed as a potentially hostile environment. “The security personnel have a duty to protect me, and if they assess that the situation they perceived was hostile, they had a duty to protect me,” he said.

Despite the risks, Mutfwang insisted on visiting the scene, adding that standing through the armoured vehicle’s roof hatch was primarily to address the crowd effectively. “From the height I stood… it was for me to gain height in order to address the crowd,” he said, noting that residents later reassured him of his safety and encouraged him to come closer.

The governor also criticised what he described as selective reporting on social media. “If not for mischief, why are people not focusing on where I spent 90 per cent of the time with the crowd, seeing the corpses, appealing to people, calming people? You could see that social media can take a small portion and misrepresent it completely,” he said.

Mutfwang affirmed that he felt safe among the residents during the visit, adding, “I was comfortable with the people. I knew the people were not going to harm me, but the security had to do their assessment and evaluation.”