Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has said that Nigeria’s deepening security troubles are mainly caused by some powerful and wealthy individuals in society.
Speaking in Jos at a stakeholder meeting titled “Dialogue on Community Policing as a Panacea for Insecurity in Nigeria: The Case of Plateau State,” Governor Mutfwang noted that insecurity is not just a random problem, but one largely created and worsened by the elite class.
He noted that honest conversations around security must come from those in power who can shape decisions and influence the public. According to the governor, the elite often use their positions to spread fear and division instead of peace and unity.
He said: “My theory, is that more than anybody else, the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria, is an elite created problem. When the elites conspire to lead the people in the wrong direction, we will continue to have this perennial crisis.”
Governor Mutfwang pointed out that conflicts sometimes start at the community level, but can be stopped if leaders act wisely. However, when elites choose to fuel the anger and hatred, it grows stronger. He explained that elites play a huge role in shaping the way people think, and when they spread harmful ideas, it makes peace more difficult to achieve.
He continued: “Many atimes, you’ll find that even when the poisoning of the mind begins in the community, when the elite takes leadership, and say it must stop, they’ll address it adequately and it will stop.
“But when the elite fan the embers of hate, they are the people that do their analysis, that begin to spew knowledge information and poison the mind of ordinary people, then it will be sustained.”
The governor also called on Nigeria’s elite to take full responsibility for encouraging peaceful living among different groups. He asked them to stop building walls of division based on religion or tribe and instead work to bring people together.
He further shared that his government is working hard to break down those barriers that have long separated people in Plateau. His aim, he said, is to create a united and peaceful state where all citizens feel safe and included.
“As I stand before you today, I want to reiterate that I came into government with a firm resolve to restore lasting peace to Plateau. That is why I have deliberately sought to bridge the divides we’ve built across religion and ethnicity.
“Yet, as recently as yesterday, I received reports of being labelled in certain influential circles. Still, I beat my chest and say, without fear of contradiction, that I have done more than any governor since 1999 in building peace and unity on the Plateau,” he said.
