Plateau arraigns five over Angwa-Rukuba killings

The Plateau State Government has filed charges against five suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the March 2026 killings in Angwa-Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.

The move comes weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited the state and assured residents that justice would be served for victims of recurring attacks.

According to court filings by the State Attorney General, Philemon Audu Daffi, four of the suspects—Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar (aka Auwalu Dogo), and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (aka Yaroro), alongside another accomplice still at large—are facing charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism-related offences.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired, organised, and funded the attack on Angwa-Rukuba, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people.

A fifth defendant, Adamu Isa Alhassan, is facing additional charges, including culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition. Authorities alleged that he and several accomplices, still at large, carried out coordinated attacks on communities in Riyom and Jos South Local Government Areas between 2025 and early 2026.

The suspects were arrested in separate operations between April 3 and April 10, 2026.

The charges were filed under relevant provisions of the Plateau State Penal Code Law, 2017, relating to terrorism and related offences.

The case stems from a wave of attacks in Plateau communities, including incidents in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas, where dozens of people, including children, were killed.

The killings had sparked widespread outrage and calls for stronger government action, including demands for the suspension of state-sponsored events in the aftermath of the violence.

The trial is expected to proceed at the appropriate court as the government seeks justice for the victims and accountability for those involved.