Jos Killing: Why I Addressed Crowd From Armoured Carrier – Mutfwang

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Governor Caleb Mutfwang has explained why he arrived in an armoured personnel carrier during his visit to Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area following the recent deadly attack in the community.

The governor visited the area on Monday after suspected bandits reportedly killed about 28 people and injured several others on Sunday evening. His arrival, accompanied by heavy security presence and an armoured vehicle, sparked widespread reactions after clips from the scene went viral on social media.

Reacting to the backlash during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Mutfwang clarified that his decision was not driven by fear but by security advice.

According to him, he had been in Abuja attending official engagements, including a high-level security meeting, when news of the attack broke, prompting his immediate return to Plateau State.

He revealed that residents had initially refused to allow the evacuation of victims’ bodies until he personally arrived at the scene.

“Unless they see the governor, they are not going to allow those corpses to be evacuated,” he said.

Mutfwang explained that although he intended to go directly to the location, security operatives advised caution due to what they assessed as a potentially volatile situation.

“The security personnel have a duty to protect me… if they assess that the situation was hostile, they had a duty to act,” he stated.

Despite the risks, the governor insisted on visiting the scene, noting that he could have delayed the trip until tensions eased but chose not to.

He also clarified that standing through the roof hatch of the armoured vehicle was primarily to gain visibility and effectively address the large crowd gathered at the scene.

“From the height I stood… it was for me to gain height in order to address the crowd,” he explained, adding that residents later reassured him of his safety and encouraged him to come closer.

The governor further criticised what he described as selective and misleading portrayals of the incident on social media, noting that much of his interaction with residents—where he consoled families and appealed for calm—was overlooked.

“You could see that social media can take a small portion and misrepresent it completely,” he said.

Mutfwang maintained that he felt safe among the people throughout the visit, stressing that the security measures were precautionary and based on professional assessment.

The incident continues to generate public debate as concerns over security and leadership responses remain at the forefront in Plateau State.