The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for justice following the killing of seven civilians at a mining site in Wat, Kuru District of Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, on 21 January 2026.
In a statement posted on the party’s official X handle on Friday, and signed by the Plateau State Publicity Secretary, Mr Choji Dalyop, the PDP condemned the incident, describing it as a tragic and unacceptable loss of innocent lives. The party also criticised the government for what it termed an “egregious failure” to fulfil its constitutional responsibility of protecting citizens.
According to the PDP, the latest attack is part of a disturbing pattern of violence that has continued to plague Plateau State, particularly rural and economically vulnerable communities. The party warned that persistent insecurity not only endangers lives and livelihoods but also erodes public confidence in governance and poses a serious threat to democracy in the state.
“The repeated loss of innocent lives due to unchecked violence undermines the people’s trust in government and weakens the foundations of democratic governance,” the statement said.
The PDP referenced a 2025 fact-finding report commissioned by Plateau State Governor, Mr Caleb M. Mutfwang, which documented the scale and severity of violence across the state. According to the report, at least 420 communities had been attacked over the years, resulting in the displacement of thousands of residents and the loss of nearly 12,000 lives.
The report further indicated that many of the attackers reportedly originated from neighbouring states and described the violence as coordinated, deliberate and sustained. The PDP argued that these findings underscore the urgency for decisive and coordinated security interventions at both state and federal levels.
In response to the killings in Wat, the party outlined a number of demands, calling for immediate and concrete action rather than routine condemnations. These include a transparent and impartial investigation into the incident, with findings made public; the swift arrest and prosecution of those responsible to ensure accountability; and the development of a clear, actionable government strategy to address insecurity and prevent further loss of life.
“A transparent and impartial investigation into the killings, with findings made public, swift prosecution of the perpetrators to ensure accountability, and a clear, actionable government plan to address insecurity and prevent further loss of life,” the PDP stated.
Mr Dalyop stressed that expressions of sympathy without follow-up action were no longer acceptable to affected communities. “The art of rhetoric and empty condemnations alone will not suffice herein,” he said, “for the people demand action, justice, and a government that prioritises human life over and above political power.”
He added that the PDP stands in solidarity with the families of the victims and communities affected by the attack. The party also urged national and international stakeholders to closely monitor what it described as the resurgence of insecurity and the human rights situation in Plateau State, calling for swift and decisive intervention.
The killings have once again brought renewed attention to the long-standing security challenges in Plateau State, where communal violence, banditry and attacks on economic activities such as mining and farming continue to take a heavy toll on civilians.
