NO PLATEAU COMMUNITY SHOULD BE BRANDED: Plateau Deserves Justice, Not Stereotyping
By Afizere Community and Cultural Development Association (ACCDA)
There comes a defining moment in the life of every people when they must rise above political affiliations, ethnic identities, and religious differences to defend their collective dignity. Plateau State has reached such a moment.
The recent televised remarks by the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), in which a tribe in Plateau State was associated with militancy, have caused deep pain, outrage, and concern across our state. Such sweeping remarks are not only unfortunate but are capable of undermining the trust, unity, and reconciliation that Plateau people have painstakingly nurtured over the years.
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The Berom people are an inseparable part of Plateau State. Their history is intertwined with the history of our state, and their sacrifices are part of the sacrifices of Plateau itself. To single out one ethnic community for damaging labels is to cast a shadow over the collective image of Plateau and to reopen wounds that are yet to heal.
NIPSS is located on Plateau soil because our people have always demonstrated hospitality, tolerance, and commitment to the Nigerian federation. For decades, Plateau has welcomed Nigerians from every region, hosted strategic national institutions, and remained a meeting point for ideas, learning, and nation-building. That proud legacy must not be repaid with language that stigmatizes host communities.
Perhaps the greatest irony in this unfortunate episode is that NIPSS is an institution established to cultivate strategic leadership, strengthen national integration, and champion its noble motto: “Towards a Better Society.” That motto must be more than an inscription on official documents; it should define the conduct, character, and public engagements of everyone entrusted with the leadership of the Institute.
One is therefore compelled to ask: How can we build a better society when the head of an institution established to promote national unity and strategic thinking publicly stereotypes a community particularly the very host community that has peacefully accommodated the institution for decades? How can we genuinely advocate national cohesion while making statements capable of reinforcing prejudice, deepening suspicion, and widening existing fault lines?
A better society cannot be built on stereotypes. It cannot flourish on sweeping generalisations against entire ethnic communities. It cannot emerge where communities are profiled instead of understood, or where victims of insecurity are made to carry the burden of damaging public perceptions.
Those who have lost loved ones, whose homes have been destroyed, and whose communities continue to face repeated attacks deserve compassion, protection, and justice not labels capable of deepening misunderstanding and mistrust.
We respectfully urge the heads of all federal government institutions and agencies operating in Plateau State to demonstrate the highest level of sensitivity, respect, and responsibility toward their host communities and the people of Plateau as a whole. The privilege of serving in our state comes with a corresponding duty to promote peace, mutual respect, and national cohesion.
This is not the time for inflammatory, unguided, or unsubstantiated public statements capable of creating mistrust, widening ethnic divisions, or undermining the fragile peace our people continue to work tirelessly to preserve. Plateau State is already battling persistent attacks on many of its communities. Thousands of families are grieving, many have been displaced, and countless lives have been disrupted. Public officials must therefore exercise restraint, wisdom, fairness, and a profound appreciation of the consequences of their public utterances.
Every institution established on Plateau soil should serve as a bridge for dialogue, understanding, reconciliation, and nation-building not as a source of controversy or division. Every public statement should strengthen confidence, reinforce unity, and inspire hope among our people.
We therefore call on the Director-General of NIPSS to publicly clarify and retract these remarks on the same national television platform where they were made. A written statement cannot completely undo the damage caused by comments broadcast to millions of Nigerians. Accountability requires that a public injury be addressed publicly. Such a step would demonstrate humility, responsibility, and respect for the people whose confidence has been shaken.
We also call upon His Excellency Governor Caleb Mutfwang, members of the National Assembly, members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations, women groups, socio-cultural associations, civil society organisations, and political leaders across party lines to speak with one voice in defence of truth, justice, and the dignity of every community in Plateau State.
Let us choose truth over prejudice.
Let us choose justice over stereotypes.
Let us stand together as one Plateau, determined that no careless statement, no divisive narrative, and no attempt to stigmatize any of our communities will succeed in breaking the bond that unites us.
Signed: Ada Yakubu Ashoms FNSE
President,ACCDA
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JULY 14TH 2026)
