No fewer than 26 persons have been confirmed dead following a deadly Sunday night attack on Angwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
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The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bassey Ewah, disclosed this while speaking during a condolence visit by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the affected community on Monday. He added that three other persons sustained injuries in the incident.
According to the Police Commissioner, gunmen, reportedly about 10 in number, stormed the area in a commando-style operation around 7:30pm on Sunday, opening fire on residents who were either seated or standing by the roadside.
The attackers were said to have arrived in a Sharon bus before unleashing the assault.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Commissioner of Police assured residents that security agencies were committed to tracking down and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who visited the Angwan Rukuba community on Monday, announced that the state government would not allow a mass burial for victims of the attack.
In a statement issued by Gyang Bere, Director of Press and Public Relations to the Governor, Mutfwang promised that the government would give a befitting burial to every victim.
“This is a painful moment for all of us. Angwan Rukuba is a community that accommodates people from diverse ethnic backgrounds across Plateau State,” the governor was quoted as saying.
“Therefore, this is not the pain of a few — it is the pain of all of us.”
“We will not allow mass burial. Government will work closely with the families to give each victim a befitting burial. They did not deserve to die in such a manner.”
The governor described the incident as painful, tragic, and unacceptable, assuring that the perpetrators of the attack would be tracked down and brought to justice.
Mutfwang said the state government would take full responsibility for the medical treatment of all injured victims until full recovery.
He appealed for calm, particularly among the youth, urging residents to resist any temptation to take the law into their own hands.
“The greatest honour we can give to the departed is to remain peaceful and allow due process to take its course,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, the governor disclosed that one suspect linked to prior threats had already been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other perpetrators.
He assured citizens that both the state and federal authorities, including President Bola Tinubu, are fully engaged and committed to ensuring justice is served.
“The governor directed that the bodies of the deceased be evacuated to the mortuary, while consultations continue with families and stakeholders towards ensuring justice and lasting peace in the area,” the statement read.
Mutfwang subsequently visited victims receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, where he offered prayers for their speedy and full recovery.
During the governor’s visit, Samson Chiroma, one of the community leaders, while recounting the attack, alleged that the assailants appeared in military-style attire.
He called on government to act swiftly, ensure justice for the victims, and facilitate proper burial arrangements, noting that the community remains in deep mourning.
Corroborating the casualty figures, the Northern Zonal Coordinator of the Plateau Youth Council, Mr. Ciroma Samson, condemned the attack and called for urgent and proactive measures to address the worsening security situation in the state.
“These are innocent people who have done no wrong, yet their lives were cut short by enemies of peace,” Samson said, urging the government to adopt modern technology and intelligence-driven strategies to strengthen security operations.
He also appealed to the government to compensate the families of the victims, noting that many of those killed were breadwinners.
The Plateau State Government has reiterated its ban on commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada, within the Greater Jos Master Plan area, warning that it will clamp down on riders who flout the rule.
In a statement on Monday, the state Commissioner for Transport, Davou Jatau, said the government had issued a public notice directing relevant agencies to intensify patrols, prosecute offenders, and strictly enforce the restriction.
“The ban on commercial motorcycles in Jos and Bukuru, originally enacted in 2012 under the Greater Jos Master Plan, remains fully in force and active,” the statement read.
The move, according to the government, is aimed at addressing security concerns, as unregulated okada operations have been linked to criminal activities, including attacks where gunmen use motorcycles for quick getaways.
The statement advised residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement of persons on motorcycles within the affected areas to security agencies.
“The hours of operation for tricycle riders (keke) within the Jos and Bukuru metropolis remain unchanged: 6:00am to 7:00pm daily,” the statement added.
“The Plateau State Government assures residents of its unwavering commitment to ensuring safety and providing efficient transport services across the state.”
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, on Monday strongly condemned the attack, describing the incident as unfortunate, reprehensible, and completely at variance with the cherished values of Northern Nigeria.
Reacting shortly after the conclusion of the NSGF quarterly meeting held at the Gombe State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, Governor Yahaya said the governors had just concluded a far-reaching review of the security situation across Northern Nigeria, during which they renewed their collective resolve to confront prevailing security and socio-economic challenges facing the people of the region.
In a statement signed by Ismaila Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Yahaya said the sad development in Plateau State only reinforces the urgency of the forum’s renewed commitment to peace, vigilance, and stronger collaboration with security agencies.
“Such acts of violence are alien to the North, a region historically known for coexistence, mutual respect, and enduring brotherhood among diverse communities,” the NSGF chairman stated.
Yahaya called on residents of Plateau State, particularly those in the affected communities, to remain calm and resist every temptation to take the law into their hands. He cautioned that reprisals and inflammatory actions could worsen an already painful situation.
He commended Governor Mutfwang for the swift and decisive measures taken in response to the incident, particularly the imposition of a 48-hour curfew in Jos North Local Government Area and the prompt deployment of security assets to restore order.
“I commend my brother governor, His Excellency Caleb Mutfwang, for the prompt actions taken to contain the situation and restore calm. These timely measures are critical in preventing further breakdown of law and order,” he said.
Meanwhile, a United States congressman, Riley Moore, has warned that continued attacks on Christians in Nigeria could strain diplomatic relations with the US, following reports of the deadly Palm Sunday assault in Jos.
Reacting in a post on X on Monday, Moore condemned the reported killing, describing the incident as part of a troubling pattern of violence targeting worshippers during religious observances.
“This Palm Sunday, reports from Nigeria indicate that at least 10 Christians were martyred in the city of Jos. Radical Islamic terrorists opened fire on the Christians before hacking them to pieces with machetes. This is sickening and unacceptable, but it’s not surprising,” Moore stated.
“This tragedy follows a pattern of radical Islamic terrorists massacring Christians on Holy Days. In fact, terrorists have attacked Christians in Nigeria on every single holy day in recent memory, except for last Christmas when President Trump sent 12 tomahawk cruise missiles to stop them.”
The congressman, who was part of a United States fact-finding delegation on alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, called on the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently strengthen security measures ahead of upcoming religious events.
“Abuja knows this pattern and they must massively ramp up security for the Triduum and Easter. If they don’t take this threat seriously and mobilize to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ, blood of these martyrs will be on their hands, and there will be significant consequences for Nigeria’s relationship with the United States,” Moore warned.
The Angwan Rukuba massacre has once again raised concerns over security in Plateau State, particularly the ability of armed groups to carry out attacks within urban communities without immediate resistance.
With 26 confirmed dead in a single attack, the incident represents one of the deadliest assaults in the state in recent times.
The involvement of a US congressman in condemning the attack and warning of consequences for Nigeria-US relations adds an international dimension to what is already a domestic crisis.
Governor Mutfwang’s promise of individual befitting burials rather than a mass burial, and the government’s commitment to bearing all medical expenses for survivors, signals an attempt to demonstrate compassion in the face of tragedy.
However, the arrest of only one suspect so far, coupled with allegations that the attackers wore military-style attire and arrived in a Sharon bus, raises questions about the nature of the threat and the capacity of security forces to prevent future attacks.
With Easter approaching and the US congressman’s warning about the pattern of attacks on Christian holy days, pressure is mounting on both state and federal authorities to demonstrate that they can protect vulnerable communities from further violence.
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