20/08/2025
Plateau’s Humanitarian Crisis: An Urgent Call for Action
Jos, Nigeria: August 19, 2025... On World Humanitarian Day 2025, civil society groups in Plateau State sounded a serious alarm over what they described as a “forgotten humanitarian catastrophe.”
At a joint press briefing, the Safe House for Justice and Human Empowerment Centre, Mission for the Vulnerable and Displaced Citizens (MIVUDI-CITIZENS), and the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA) highlighted the growing violence and widespread displacement across Plateau.
The coalition revealed that at least 64 communities have been displaced, leaving behind ghost towns in LGAs such as Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Bokkos. Women and children remain the most vulnerable, acing risks of trafficking, forced labor, gender-based violence, and exploitation.
The human cost continues to rise. In July 2025, an attack on Bindi village left 27 people dead and displaced over 2,468 persons. Today, Plateau is home to more than 1.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), a sharp 19% increase since late 2023. Children make up nearly 60% of camp populations, with many robbed of education and forced into labor or trafficking.
While acknowledging efforts such as the ₦1 billion donation by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and support from international partners (GIZ, NRC, WHO, UNICEF), the groups stressed that these interventions remain far below the scale of need.
The coalition issued a call to action:
1. Donors & Philanthropists: Support peacebuilding, trauma healing, and livelihood restoration.
2. Government: Go beyond reactive security; strengthen intelligence and community-based policing.
3. Citizens: Stand in solidarity through advocacy, donations, and support for displaced families.
They concluded with a strong reminder:
“This is not just a headline; it is a reality eating at the soul of our people. Plateau must not be allowed to become another forgotten crisis.”
MIVUDI-CITIZENS’ Media
Sustainable Development Goals, Plateau State Project Support Unit Berom Community North America Plateau Journal
