BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Plateau State chapter has condemned the killing of seven persons at a mining site in Kuru District, Jos South Local Government Area, describing the attack as a “brutality of senseless killings”.
The beleaguered opposition party also referred to the unfortunate development as a grim reminder of the worsening security situation in the North Central state.
The PDP’s condemnation comes barely a day after the Nigerian Army confirmed that seven illegal miners were shot dead in the early hours of Thursday when suspected armed bandits attacked an illegal mining site at Capitex, Kuru.
This is as Troops of Sector 6, Operation Safe Haven, disclosed that the attackers struck around 1:00 a.m., leaving seven locals dead before fleeing the area.
A press statement issued on Friday, and signed by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Choji Dalyop, said the latest killings expose what it described as the government’s “egregious failure” to protect lives and guarantee basic security.
The statement said: “We have noted with great concern and issued a strong condemnation of the tragic killing of seven innocent citizens in their prime at a mining site in Wat of Kuru District, Jos South LGA of Plateau State,” the party said, adding that the victims were killed by “enemies of the state.”
While linking the Kuru attack to what it described as a long-standing and poorly addressed security crisis in Plateau State, the PDP warned that repeated incidents of violence continue to erode public confidence in governance and democracy.
It further said: “The senseless loss of life is a gloomy testament to the ongoing security crisis and the government’s lack of pro-activeness and apparent indifference to the safety and welfare of the people it was elected to serve.”
The PDP, which cited the 1999 Constitution to back up its position, said the protection of lives and property remains the primary responsibility of government, insisting that repeated attacks and the failure to bring perpetrators to justice amount to a “severe dereliction of duty” under Section 14(2) of the Constitution.
Recalling the report of a fact-finding committee set up by Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang in 2025 to probe incessant killings in the state, the party said the report revealed that many attackers allegedly came from neighbouring states and that violence had spread across at least 420 communities.
The PDP further said the report indicated that thousands of people, mostly women, children and the elderly, had been displaced, with nearly 12,000 lives reportedly lost over time.
It warned that “Plateau State cannot afford to treat such atrocities as business as usual”, describing the violence as “well coordinated, deliberate and devastating,” and threatens the State’s image as the Home of Peace and Tourism.
Consequently, the PDP made three key demands from the State government: a transparent and impartial investigation into the Kuru killings with findings made public; the swift prosecution of those responsible to ensure accountability and deterrence; and the development of a clear, actionable security plan to address the root causes of insecurity.
Addressing issues around the worrying insecurity across the State, the statement said: “The art of rhetoric and empty condemnations alone will not suffice. The people demand action, justice and a government that prioritises human life over political power.”
While maintaining that the Party stands in solidarity with the victims’ families and affected communities, the PDP urged both national and international stakeholders to closely monitor the renewed wave of insecurity and human rights situation in Plateau State, with a view to ensuring swift and decisive action.
For now, the Army said troops will remain deployed in Kuru and surrounding areas, with sustained intelligence-driven operations to track and apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly attack of killing innocent citizens.
