•Urges Nigerians to ignore 'distorted' interpretation

The Plateau State Government has defended Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang over the controversy surrounding his recent remarks during an engagement with leaders of the Igbo community, insisting that his comments have been misrepresented and taken out of context.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Dr. Gyang Bere, the government said Mutfwang's remarks were made in the spirit of reconciliation, appreciation and national unity, contrary to interpretations suggesting otherwise.

The clarification follows mixed reactions to comments made by the governor during a courtesy visit by leaders of the Igbo community to the Government House in Jos, with critics alleging that he apologised over the role of Plateau indigenes during the Nigerian Civil War.

Responding to the criticism, the government said the governor neither sought to diminish the experiences of any ethnic group nor distort the historical realities of the civil war.

It maintained that Mutfwang's remarks were intended to acknowledge the resilience, enterprise and contributions of the Igbo community to the economic and social development of Plateau State while encouraging peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

"The scars of that period remain part of our national history and deserve to be remembered with empathy, honesty and sensitivity," the statement said, adding that the lessons of the civil war should strengthen national unity rather than reopen old wounds.

The government also highlighted Plateau's long history of accommodating people from different parts of the country, describing the state as one of Nigeria's foremost examples of peaceful coexistence.

According to the statement, successive administrations, beginning with Joseph Dechi Gomwalk and later Solomon Lar, laid the foundation for an inclusive society in which the Igbo community has thrived and contributed significantly to commerce, education, healthcare and industry.

The statement further aligned the state's inclusive tradition with former Head of State Yakubu Gowon's post-war "No Victor, No Vanquished" policy and the programme of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, describing the approach as a globally recognised model for post-conflict healing.

The government said Governor Mutfwang remained committed to preserving that legacy through policies that promote dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

It urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as distorted interpretations of the governor's remarks, warning that such narratives could inflame ethnic divisions and distract from the broader message of unity and national cohesion.

Reaffirming the administration's position, the government said Mutfwang believes every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or place of origin, deserves dignity, equal opportunity and a sense of belonging, adding that those principles will continue to guide his leadership of Plateau State.

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