GOVERNOR MUTFWANG STIMULATES INSIGHTFUL SECURITY DISCOURSE AT NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES (NISS) …Says Political Will, Good Governance and Strategic Communication Are Essential to Curbing Violent Conflicts The Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has delivered a thought-provoking lead paper outlining practical strategies for addressing the persistent security challenges confronting Nigeria and other African countries, drawing from the experiences of rural communities in Plateau State to underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive, context-sensitive approach to crisis management and conflict resolution. Governor Mutfwang delivered the lead paper at a crisis management seminar organised by the Directorate of Simulation and Crisis Management in collaboration with the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) for participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 19 (EIMC 19), 2026. The seminar, themed “Crisis Management Strategies for Addressing Ethnic Militias and Resource Competition in Africa: Implications for National Security,” held at the Rivers Learning Centre, National Institute for Security Studies, Bwari, Abuja. Taking participants through the historical evolution of human settlements and social organisation, Governor Mutfwang traced contemporary security challenges to the complex relationship between population growth, competition for resources and the struggle for survival. He explained that as human communities expand, pressure on available resources intensifies, often creating tensions that, if left unmanaged, can escalate into violent conflicts. He noted that resource competition has shaped human history, from prehistoric struggles over hunting grounds and freshwater sources to modern-day conflicts over oil, minerals, agricultural land and territory required to accommodate growing populations. According to him, these pressures, when compounded by social, political and economic inequalities, can become potent drivers of instability. Governor Mutfwang observed that the convergence of resource competition with the desire of communities to preserve their existence, protect their identities and secure political influence has frequently resulted in violent contestations. He explained that ethnic militias often emerge within these circumstances, although their roles and the implications of their activities vary according to the context and the interests they serve. The Governor emphasised that ethnic militias and competition over natural resources constitute a global security challenge, affecting countries across different continents, including parts of Asia and Africa. He noted that such conflicts often result in communal violence, forced displacement, destruction of property, the breakdown of social cohesion and ethnic segregation, with far-reaching consequences for national stability and human security. Drawing from Plateau State’s experience, Governor Mutfwang cautioned against mischaracterising the nature and underlying causes of violent conflicts. He observed that although some interpretations have framed the violence in Plateau as herder-farmer clashes, a comprehensive understanding of the situation requires a careful examination of the circumstances, patterns and motives behind individual attacks. He challenged security practitioners and policymakers to interrogate the realities on the ground, asking how attacks on sleeping communities and the forcible displacement of indigenous populations from their ancestral lands could be adequately explained without a thorough investigation of the actors, motives and broader context involved. The Governor cited the March 2010 attack on Dogo Nahawa, also known as Dyemburuk, in which more than 500 people were reportedly killed, as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of communal violence. He also recalled the coordinated attacks on communities in Bokkos Local Government