JOS, Nigeria – Residents of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, have on Monday, April 21, 2025, taken to the streets in a protest against the ongoing wave of kidnappings and killings that have plagued the region.
Led by Christian leaders, including Polycarp Lubo, the Plateau chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the demonstration aimed to draw attention to the escalating violence and to demand action from the government and security agencies.
The protest, which began at the Fwavwei Junction community road, led to significant traffic disruption, causing a gridlock that left many commuters stranded.
The demonstrators carried placards bearing messages such as “Stop the killings,” “Every life matters,” and “Let Plateau live.”
The rally was a direct response to a series of violent attacks in the state, with over 100 people reportedly killed in the Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the past two weeks.
A faction of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the northern states of Nigeria joined the protest, calling for justice for the victims and an end to the “senseless” killings.
Yakubu Pam, the faction’s chairman, emphasized the need for unity among all stakeholders—traditional rulers, religious leaders, security forces, and community-based organizations—to tackle the cycle of violence that has plagued Plateau for years.
The ongoing violence has drawn national attention, with President Bola Tinubu urging the governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, to address the long-standing communal issues contributing to the killings.
Following the president’s call, Governor Mutfwang announced a series of measures to prevent further violence, including a ban on night grazing and restrictions on motorcycle use.
He also prohibited the transportation of cattle after 7 pm, calling the killings “coordinated acts of terror” aimed at displacing residents from their ancestral lands.
In response to the violence, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, promised that the perpetrators would soon face severe consequences.
Egbetokun also highlighted the detrimental impact the killings have had on the state’s farming activities, further aggravating the economic situation in Plateau
