At least 14 persons have been killed following a late-night attack on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Police has said.
Residents said the incident occurred on Sunday evening, coinciding with Palm Sunday observances, when unidentified gunmen stormed the community and opened fire indiscriminately, leaving several victims dead and others injured.
Sen Dogo Nanzing, a resident of the area where the incident occurred described it as a “black Palm Sunday on the Plateau,” lamenting that many young people lost their lives in what he termed a deliberate attempt to trigger religious tension.
“The assailants know exactly where to hit that will hurt the state… Christians, Muslims, Atheists and traditional worshippers must join hands and resist these terrorists together,” he said.
He warned of any attempt to escalate the situation as religious, noting that among the victims there are several Christians and Muslims.
While some reports likened the attack as banditry, some security sources described it as a cultists operation, adding that they struck at about 8:00 p.m., firing sporadically before fleeing.
Media reports report that troops of Sector 1 of Operation Enduring Peace were deployed to the area.
The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying 12 persons, comprising 10 men and two women were initially killed, while two additional corpses were later discovered during search operations, bringing the death toll to 14.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Alfred Alabo, in a press statement, said the Commissioner of Police led a joint team of security personnel to the scene to restore calm and prevent further escalation.
“The Police and all other security agencies within the State have organized a joint operation and are combing nearby bushes to ensure the suspects are arrested.”
The command added that the corpses had been evacuated to the mortuary, while investigations were ongoing to identify the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
But some residents said 26 corpses have been recovered with several others sustained injuries.
Following the attacks, residents report that aggrieved youth block Jos highway attacking travellers and destroying several shops.
In response to the attack, the Plateau State Government imposed a 48-hour curfew on Jos North Local Government Area beginning midnight of March 29, to enable security agencies carry out intensified operations and forestall reprisal attacks.
The latest violence adds to a string of insecurity incidents that have plagued the state in recent months.
However, the attacked community is one of the areas in the state capital that experienced relative peace after decades of confrontation.
Several communities in places such as Bokkos, Mangu, Barikin Ladi, Wase and Riyom Local Government Areas witnessed deadly clashes and attacks earlier in the last couple of years, resulting in multiple casualties and displacement of residents.
Sunday’s attack in Jos North has renewed concerns about the fragility of peace in the state, with security agencies maintaining heavy patrols across affected communities to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
