Tinubu Pledges to Rebuild Plateau Communities, Resettle IDPs

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

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

The president said his administration would collaborate with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and other stakeholders to restore affected communities and ensure displaced residents return home.

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

He expressed sympathy for families who lost loved ones, survivors of attacks and those still 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.

Tinubu also disclosed that his administration was strengthening security operations in Plateau through increased deployment of personnel and improved rapid-response mechanisms.

According to him, 1,000 forest guards were undergoing training for deployment to vulnerable communities, while surveillance cameras earlier promised to the state had been procured to enhance intelligence gathering and early-warning systems.

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

He said the federal government would work with the Plateau State Government to ensure the safe return and resettlement of displaced families.

The pledge comes amid persistent insecurity and communal violence that have forced thousands of residents from their homes across several local government areas.

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

The humanitarian situation has also attracted interventions from international agencies, with UNHCR reporting in July that it distributed essential relief materials to conflict-affected households in Bassa, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas.

Tinubu Calls for Peace, Economic Development

The president urged Plateau residents to embrace peaceful coexistence, insisting that ethnic, religious and linguistic differences should not prevent communities from living and working together.

He said his administration was committed to improving living conditions rather than perpetuating suffering.

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

He also pledged federal support for the development of Plateau’s agricultural and mining sectors, including plans to transform Jos Airport into a cargo airport to facilitate the export of vegetables and potatoes to international markets.

Tin mining and other economic activities, he added, could further boost the state’s development.

Shettima, Yilwatda Rally Support for Tinubu

The rally also provided an opportunity for APC leaders to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima appealed to Plateau residents to support the president, describing his economic reforms as difficult but necessary decisions taken to rescue the country from economic collapse.

Yilwatda, who hails from Plateau State, described Tinubu as a promise keeper and highlighted federal interventions in security, including the establishment of security command centres, procurement of surveillance cameras and training of forest guards.

Governor Mutfwang also commended the president’s leadership and said federal interventions had strengthened the state’s development efforts.

The rally was attended by APC governors, lawmakers, former governors and other party stakeholders, including former Plateau governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong.