Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has explained that his decision to address residents from an armoured tank carrier (ATC) following the Palm Sunday attack in Jos was based on security advice and the need for better visibility, Rep9ja reports.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics, the governor said the elevated position allowed him to effectively communicate with the crowd during a tense moment.
“From the height I stood, part of the reason they put me in the ATC was for me to gain height in order to address the crowd,” he said.
Mutfwang dismissed speculation that he was under threat, maintaining that his interaction with residents was largely peaceful and cooperative.
“As I addressed the crowd and they were comfortable that I had arrived, that’s why they were saying, ‘come, come,’ assuring me that I could come and that there was no harm,” he added.
He noted that public perception of the incident was shaped by selective social media clips, which, according to him, failed to capture the full extent of his engagement with grieving residents.
“If not for mischief, why are people not focusing on where I spent 90 per cent of the time with the crowd… appealing to people and calming them?” he queried.
The governor said he felt safe among the people but acknowledged that security personnel had a duty to take precautions given the volatile environment.
“I was comfortable with the people. I knew the people were not going to harm me, but the security had to,” he added.
He also revealed that he had been in Abuja attending official engagements when news of the attack broke, prompting his immediate return to the state.
“I was in Abuja, you remember, at the back of the APC National Convention, and then I had a very high-level security consultation on Sunday evening with some of the top security chiefs,” he said.
“We were discussing some of the things we need to do going forward when the news filtered that this had happened.”
According to him, he insisted on visiting the scene despite security concerns, as residents had demanded to see him before allowing the evacuation of victims.
“As early as 7 a.m., the presidential air fleet released a plane for me to return home. I wanted to drive straight to the scene because the crowd had said unless they see the governor, they are not going to allow those corpses to be evacuated,” he stated.
Mutfwang expressed appreciation to the people of Plateau State for their trust, reaffirming his commitment to stand with them in difficult times.
“I want to thank Plateau people for the level of trust and confidence they have reposed in me, which I have vowed never to betray,” he said.
