Tinubu promises to rebuild Plateau communities, return displaced persons

President Bola Tinubu has promised to rebuild communities devastated by years of violence in Plateau State and return thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.

Mr Tinubu made the promise on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-Central rally in Jos, where he acknowledged the devastating impact of recurring attacks on communities across the state since 2001.

The president said his administration would work with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and other political leaders to restore affected communities and facilitate the return of displaced residents.

“Since 2001, crisis attacks have inflicted deep wounds on Plateau. Too many lives have been lost, homes destroyed, communities displaced,” Mr Tinubu said.

He offered condolences to families who had lost relatives, survivors of attacks and residents who remained unable to return to their homes.

“I assure those displaced that we will rebuild your communities. We will rebuild your communities, and we will bring you back to your communities,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said he had directed security agencies to take decisive action to sustain peace and stability in Plateau, adding that his administration was strengthening security deployment and rapid-response mechanisms.

He disclosed that 1,000 forest guards were undergoing training and would be deployed to improve security in vulnerable communities.

“You will feel them, you will see them. You will feel secure in your villages and communities,” he told the gathering.

The president also said surveillance cameras promised to the state had been procured to strengthen intelligence gathering and early-warning operations.

He pledged to work with the state government and other stakeholders to ensure that displaced families returned to their communities and resettled in conditions that would allow them to rebuild their lives.

The promise comes amid persistent security challenges in Plateau, where attacks, communal violence and displacement have affected several local government areas over the years.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Plateau had 45,212 internally displaced persons as of 1 August 2026.

The agency’s displacement figures, compiled from sources including the International Organisation for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, underscore the scale of the humanitarian challenge the state faces.

In July, UNHCR also reported distributing essential relief items to conflict-affected households in Bassa, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas, following recurrent violence that displaced families and destroyed homes and household belongings.

Mr Tinubu’s latest pledge therefore raises expectations among affected communities for a concrete resettlement programme backed by sustained security operations, reconstruction and humanitarian support.

Security and political commitments The president acknowledged that his previous visit to Plateau had been limited to the airport, saying he had nevertheless seen the devastation and received reports from Governor Mutfwang about the situation in affected communities.

He commended the governor for what he described as efforts to promote peace and stability, urging residents to overcome their differences and work together.

According to him, ethnic, religious and linguistic differences should not make residents enemies, stressing that communities must be able to farm, live and develop together.

“Our government is not elected to inflict wounds on one another or to bury people. We have to lift people from penury to prosperity,” he said.

Mr Tinubu also promised to work with the Plateau government to develop the state’s agricultural and mining sectors.

He said his administration would collaborate with Mr Mutfwang to develop Jos Airport into a cargo airport, enabling farmers to export vegetables and potatoes directly to international markets.

He added that tin mining and other economic activities could contribute to the state’s development.

The rally also served as a platform for the APC leadership to mobilise support for Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima urged Plateau residents to support the president, describing his economic policies as necessary decisions taken to rescue Nigeria from economic collapse.

Mr Shettima said the country faced difficult circumstances when Mr Tinubu assumed office in May 202,3 but argued that the president had shown the courage to make difficult decisions.

He also appealed to residents to support the APC and its candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Mr Yilwatda, who is from Plateau State, described the president as a promise keeper, listing security-related interventions he said the federal government had delivered to the state.

These included establishing security command centres in vulnerable areas, procuring surveillance cameras,s and training forest guards.

He expressed confidence that Plateau residents would demonstrate their support for Mr Tinubu at the ballot box.

Governor Mutfwang, in his remarks, praised the president’s leadership and said the federal government’s interventions had helped strengthen the state’s development efforts.

He also defended the administration’s handling of insecurity, arguing that the government had made security a priority.

Mr Mutfwang said the APC government would remain committed to implementing its manifesto and improving Nigerians’ lives.

The rally was attended by APC governors, members of the National Assembly, former governors, and other party leaders, including former Plateau governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong.