Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s imposition of a 24-hour curfew reflects the severity of the unrest.

Brig.-Gen. Gakji Shipi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Homeland Safety, clarified that the crisis arose from a confrontation between two individuals in the council area. “The current situation in Mangu is a result of two people that escalated. The crisis is not political or has anything to do with the farmers-herders crisis. It was just two human beings that had an altercation.”

The source of the conflict centered around a disagreement between a native individual and a herder. Shipi explained, “The native was crossing with his motorcycle and the Fulani was grazing his cattle and crossing the road, and that obstructed traffic, and there was an altercation between them.”

The escalation drew support from both Fulani herders and local residents, leading to heightened tensions. “When that happened, the Fulani people came in support of their own, and the natives also came in support of their own, and the thing just got out of hands and that led to the imposition of curfew in Mangu.”

Former lawmaker Bala Fwangji confirmed the extent of the chaos, stating, “What happened today in Mangu is not good at all. We just woke up to hear that some people are burning houses in Mangu and attacking anyone in sight. I cannot tell you how many houses were burnt, or the number of people attacked or killed, but these things happened today.”

Nanle Gujor, the Secretary-General of Plateau Initiative for Development, reported four fatalities during the unrest. “I returned to Jos from Abuja, and given what happened in Mangu today, we are not happy. We are still assessing the situation, but I was told that four persons were killed.”

The situation remains fluid, with ongoing assessments to determine the full extent of the damage and casualties.