MURIC accuses Plateau Gov of trivializing murder of Muslim travellers

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has berated Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, over his comments on killings of some travellers in the state by a mob.

Daily Trust reports that a bus carrying 28 Muslim passengers, mostly Hausas, was ambushed by suspected youths from Mangu village, Mangu Local Government Area on Friday, 20th June, 2025.

Eight of the victims were initially killed on the spot, with the death subsequently rose to 13, and four others were declared missing.

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In a statement, on Monday, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC, said Governor Mutfwang did not help matters as he attempted to obfuscate the gravity of the offence under atmospheric volatility.

“He (Mutfwang) said the brutal killings occurred because the Muslim travellers ‘lost their way and inadvertently ran into a tense and volatile situation in Mangu, a community grappling with sustained terrorist attacks,” Akintola said.

Akintola described the attack as most horrendous, egregious and preposterous; and also referred to the governor’s statement after the attack as an unapologetic ‘apology’.

“We condemn the killings in the strongest terms. It is most horrendous, totally egregious and categorically preposterous. This zone has become a killing ground particularly for Muslim travellers.

“Unfortunately the rampaging youth have also become unrepentant in their killing sprees going by other attacks on Muslims carried out by them in the past.

“But the Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, did not help matters as he attempted to obfuscate the gravity of the offence under atmospheric volatility. He said the brutal killings occurred because the Muslim travellers ‘lost their way and inadvertently ran into a tense and volatile situation in Mangun, a community grappling with sustained terrorist attacks.

“Since when did losing one’s way become an excuse for his being killed? How can a whole governor, a learned barrister at law, rationalise criminal and barbaric killing with a volatile and tense situation? Plateau State leaders and elders are complicit.

“We are therefore constrained to conclude that Governor Muftwang has not encouraged the youth under him to manifest remorse, rather he has sought to trivialise the odious and odoriferous crime. He has also given them kudos for a job well done. That statement is best described as an unapologetic ‘apology,” he said.

The MURIC boss said it was disturbing considering several massacres and killings of Muslim travellers along the same axis which have ended in no punishment for the culprits but with the governor “apologizing” on behalf of the youth only for the same youth to go back to the roads seeking more Muslim travellers to ambush, kill, dismember and cannibalise.

“We call the attention of the Federal Government, Nigerians of goodwill and the international community, particularly the gullible West and its asymmetrical media team to the terror zone of Plateau State where Muslims have become easy preys.

“The Divisional Police Officer in Mangu, the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) must tell Nigerians how many suspects have been arrested over this horrible killings otherwise Nigerians can be assured that these blood thirsty youths will pounce on the next Muslim travellers who ply their route. Muslims have become endangered species in Plateau State.

“We commiserate with the bereaved families, the government of Kaduna State, the Emir of Zaria and the good people of Kaduna State. We also pray that the dead among the victims be granted al-jannah Firdaus,” Akintola said.