A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday ordered the remand of four suspects in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over the killings that happened on March 28, 2026, in Angwan Rukuba community, located in Jos North Local Government Area.
The court adjourned the case to April 30, 2026, for arraignment after proceedings could not continue due to the absence of defence counsel.
The suspects—Isa Umar Ibrahim; Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo; Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro; and one other—were arrested by the DSS between April 3 and April 10, 2026.
The suspects are currently facing charges filed by the Plateau State Government relating to criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other associated offences.
According to the charge signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, the suspects “conspired amongst themselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when they planned, organised, facilitated, aided and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba, which led to the death of over 30 persons.”
The alleged offences are said to violate Section 269 and are punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.
During Thursday’s sitting before Justice Gidelia Damulak Fomyong in Court 12, Jos, the suspects, speaking through an interpreter, requested an adjournment to allow them secure legal representation of their choice.
The prosecution counsel and Plateau State Solicitor-General, Joel Tagven, did not oppose the application but urged the court to remand the suspects in DSS custody to ensure accessibility and facilitate ongoing investigations.
The court granted the request and fixed April 30, 2026, for arraignment. Following the ruling, the suspects were escorted from the court premises in a bus to the DSS facility.
While addressing newsmen shortly after the session, the Solicitor-General commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as an enabling environment that made the prosecution possible within the state.
He cited four key reasons for the commendation: the directive that led to the arrest of the suspects by the DSS; the instruction that they be prosecuted in Plateau State instead of being transferred to Abuja as previously done; the approval of security infrastructure, including CCTV cameras; and the cooperation that allowed the state to handle the prosecution locally.
The March 28 attack, which affected communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas, including Angwan Rukuba in Jos North, resulted in the deaths of no fewer than 30 people, including children.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang had earlier condemned the incident, describing it as genocide rather than a farmer-herder conflict, and vowed that “life must go on” and that violence on the Plateau would end.
President Tinubu, during a visit to the state, also assured victims that justice would be served and urged residents to remain vigilant.
