Written by Gov. Caleb Manasseh Muftwang of Plateau State has banned night grazing and all night-time mining operations across the state, setting a hard 5:00 p.m. daily shutdown for mining sites, following fresh attacks that killed residents of the Nding community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
The governor announced the measures during a sympathy visit to the affected community on Tuesday, where he met with survivors and bereaved families. The ban takes immediate effect.
Beyond the curfew on mining, Mr. Muftwang also prohibited grazing by underage herders, placing the burden of responsible cattle management squarely on livestock owners and parents. He said his administration would not tolerate practices that heighten tensions between farming and herding communities, which have repeatedly turned violent across rural Plateau.
Security agencies received direct orders to investigate the Barkin Ladi killings, identify all suspects, and prosecute them without delay. The governor added that any security personnel found complicit in the attacks would face investigation and disciplinary action — a pointed warning that drew attention at a time when rural communities have repeatedly accused some operatives of looking the other way.
With the planting season approaching, Mr. Muftwang assured farmers of stronger protection in their fields. He also confirmed government-backed fertilizer subsidies to support food production and cushion the impact of the unrest on agricultural output in the state.
A security stakeholders’ meeting followed the community visit, held at Gwol Motel in Barkin Ladi. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth organisations, and community representatives across ethnic and faith lines attended. The governor reiterated that those behind the attacks in Barkin Ladi and other communities would be brought to justice.
Dr. Bernard Odo, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, joined the visit and declared the Federal Government’s solidarity with affected communities, promising continued humanitarian support and recovery assistance.
Youth leaders under the Plateau Youth Council, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, and traditional institutions led by the Gwom Rwei of Barkin Ladi all commended the governor’s response. They backed plans for a wider security summit to deepen peacebuilding across the state.
Barkin Ladi sits within one of Nigeria’s most conflict-prone farming belts, where attacks on agrarian communities have repeatedly disrupted food production across the Middle Belt.
