Officials condemn violence but avoid identifying perpetrators or addressing repeated security breakdowns
By Mary Kiara
(Jos, Nigeria) – After a Palm Sunday attack in Jos left at least 28 people dead, the governor’s response is drawing scrutiny for avoiding key questions about perpetrators, security failures, and accountability.
The attack, which occurred in Angwan Rukuba, marks the second Palm Sunday massacre in Plateau State in two years under Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Words That Avoid Naming
“It is with a heavy heart that I address you,” Governor Mutfwang said in a state broadcast.
He described the killings as a “tragic incident” carried out by “enemies of peace.”
“I am pleased to inform you that security agencies have apprehended a suspect,” Mutfwang said in the broadcast.
He did not identify the attackers, explain how they carried out the assault in a major city, or address possible lapses by security forces.
“This is not just another tragic incident; it is part of a deeply disturbing and recurring pattern of violence,” Anthony Ubani, executive director of #FixPolitics Africa, said in a statement.
“In a functioning state, protecting lives and property is the most basic responsibility of leadership. Yet, time and again, Nigerians are left exposed, vulnerable, and alone when violence strikes,” Ubani said.
“Silence, delay, and distance send the wrong message, not only to grieving citizens, but also to perpetrators who continue to act with impunity. Condemnation after the fact and curfews after the killings are not enough.”
A Pattern One Year Apart
In April 2025, at least 54 Christians were killed in a Palm Sunday attack in Zikke village near Jos.
Community leaders and witnesses attributed that attack to Fulani militants.
“We have known for some time that this area would be attacked close to Easter,” Judd Saul said to TruthNigeria in 2025.
“It appears that the Nigerian government is both complicit and negligent,” Saul said.
One year later, residents and policy groups say there is little evidence that preventive security has improved.
Calls for Justice and Specific Answers
“Innocent Nigerians – men, women, and children were hunted and killed in cold blood,” Archbishop Daniel Okoh, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said in a statement to TruthNigeria.
“Those responsible must be found, arrested, and made to face justice swiftly and decisively,” Okoh said.
“The repeated attacks raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of measures in place to protect lives,” Emmanuel Owubiko, National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria said in a statement.
“Authorities must demonstrate greater commitment to protecting vulnerable communities.”
The Missing Security Question
The governor’s address did not reference the Nigerian Army’s 3rd Division, headquartered in Jos, or explain how attackers were able to strike and withdraw without interception in a major city.
The military’s most visible response focused instead on denying allegations of complicity.
In a statement signed by Media Information Officer Captain Chinonso Oteh, the Joint Task Force rejected claims by local youth leaders that soldiers “aided” or “provided cover” for the terrorists, describing the accusations as “false, misleading, and unfortunate.”
“The intervention of troops averted what could have spiraled into endless bloodshed,” the statement said.
Residents and witnesses, however, have repeatedly reported delayed or absent military response in attacks across Plateau State, raising questions about the effectiveness of rapid deployment claims.
“Security has failed,” Eli Bako, a lawmaker, told TruthNigeria.
“One day, there will be no people left in these counties,” Bako said.
Limited External Scrutiny
Despite the scale of the killings, international coverage has focused largely on casualty figures, with less attention to decision-making failures or command responsibility.
Policy advocates say such gaps can shape how foreign governments assess violence in Nigeria.
“Those responsible for the atrocities must be found, arrested, and made to face justice swiftly and decisively,” Okoh said to TruthNigeria.
“How did we get here? How is it that people can no longer feel safe in their own homes? How is it that, even on a sacred day, communities are left exposed to such terror?” Okoh queried.
What Was Not Said
In his address, the governor pledged justice and urged calm.
But he did not name perpetrators, outline operational failures, or indicate whether any security commanders would be held accountable.
For critics, those omissions are not incidental, they are central.
Mary Kiara reports on terrorism and religious-freedom policy for TruthNigeria.
