Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau State, has defended his use of an armoured personnel carrier during a visit to Angwan Rukuba in Jos North following a deadly attack, saying his actions were misrepresented on social media.
The governor visited the community after suspected bandits killed about 28 people and injured several others. He arrived with a heavy security presence, including an armoured vehicle from which he initially addressed residents.
Videos from the scene quickly circulated online, sparking criticism and claims that he acted out of fear. However, Mutfwang rejected that interpretation, stating in a television interview that security protocol—not personal fear—guided the decision.
“The security personnel have a duty to protect me, and if they assess that the situation is hostile, they must act accordingly,” he said. Mutfwang explained that he had been in Abuja for official engagements when he received news of the attack and immediately returned to the state.
He added that tensions were high, with residents refusing to allow the evacuation of victims’ bodies until he arrived. “Unless they see the governor, they are not going to allow those corpses to be evacuated,” he said.
According to him, although he wanted to go directly to the scene, security operatives advised caution due to the volatile situation. “I could have stayed back until everything had calmed down, but I insisted on going,” he said.
He also clarified that standing through the roof hatch of the armoured vehicle was a practical decision to better address the crowd. “I needed the elevation to speak to the people,” he said.
Mutfwang criticised how parts of the visit were portrayed online, arguing that widely shared clips did not reflect the full context of his engagement with residents.
“If not for mischief, why are people not focusing on where I spent 90 percent of the time with the crowd—seeing the corpses, appealing to people, calming tensions?” he said. “Social media can take a small portion and misrepresent it completely.”
He maintained that he felt safe among the community during the visit, despite the initial security concerns.
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