Plateau files terrorism charges against five over Jos killings

The Plateau State Government has filed charges against five suspects over the March 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.

In a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday, the government said the suspects were arrested by the Department of State Services between April 3 and April 10, 2026, and have now been charged with offences including criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences.

The accused persons—Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro, and others—were alleged to have conspired to carry out the attack.

According to the charge filed by the State Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, the defendants acted “contrary to Section 269 and punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.”

The charge stated, “That you… did conspire amongst yourselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when you planned, organised, facilitated, aided, and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba… which led to the death of over thirty (30) people.”

Another defendant, Adamu Isa Alhassan, is facing additional charges, including culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.

Part of the charge against him read that he and others “armed yourselves with guns, attacked and killed residents” in parts of Riyom and Jos South local government areas.

The development follows renewed efforts by authorities to prosecute those linked to violent attacks in Plateau State.

The killings, which occurred on March 28, left no fewer than 30 persons, including children, dead after suspected attackers invaded communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas.

Following the incident,  Governor Caleb Mutfwang had also condemned the attacks, describing them as attempts to destabilise the state, insisting that “life must go on” despite the violence.

“But I said no! Life must go on. Plateau must move forward by the grace of God. The genocide on the Plateau will come to an end. What is happening is not a farmer-herder conflict. Let me be clear: it is genocide, and I urge the international community to take not,” the Governor said.

President Bola Tinubu, who visited the state earlier this month, also met with victims and assured that justice would be served.

“We are optimistic that ongoing interventions will help restore lasting peace,” the President said, while urging residents to remain vigilant.