Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Thursday urged the Nigerian Army to treat the wave of killings in Plateau and other troubled parts of the country as a threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty rather than a routine peacekeeping assignment.

Mutfwang made the call while receiving the outgoing General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, and his successor, Major General Williams Dangana, at the Government House, Jos.

The governor said the security challenges confronting Plateau, the North-East, North-West and North-Central required a more decisive military response.

He said, “My perspective on the security challenges in Nigeria is that our armed forces must see their duty not as a peacekeeping force but as protecting the sovereignty of Nigeria against enemies of the state. If we don’t look at it that way, we will be making a grave mistake.

“What we are confronting today is an existential threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria. Whether it is in the North-East, North-West or North-Central, we are dealing with people who want to destabilise the country, and we cannot afford to allow that.”

Mutfwang commended Oyinlola for his leadership during his 18-month tour of duty, saying Plateau recorded both kinetic and non-kinetic security gains despite persistent challenges.

He said the state had continued to attract investors and visitors despite reports of insecurity, attributing the progress partly to the military’s efforts.

“There were difficult moments, but we also recorded significant successes, both kinetic and non-kinetic. If not for your leadership and commitment, those who sought to destabilise Plateau would have achieved their aim,” Mutfwang stated.

The governor also assured the incoming GOC of his administration’s support and urged him to build on the achievements of his predecessor while strengthening civil-military relations.

In his remarks, Oyinlola said Plateau accounted for the greater part of his operational engagements during his tenure.

“I can assure you that 95 per cent of my 18 months were concerned with issues in Plateau State. It was almost as if I was not the GOC for the other states,” he said.

The outgoing GOC thanked the state government for its support, describing it as critical to the successes recorded by troops, and appealed to Governor Mutfwang and other stakeholders to extend the same cooperation to his successor.