Jos killings: Tinubu, Mutfwang, NBA vow justice

—Plateau  won’t bow to terror, Mutfwang declares

—Confirms 28 killed in gunmen attack on Angwan Rukuba 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Bashir Bello & Golok Nanmwa

President Bola Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang, yesterday, vowed justice for victims of the gunmen’s attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The governor also declared that the state would not succumb to fear or intimidation, following the deadly attack, confirming that the attack claimed 28 lives. 

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, also condemned the killings in Jos, Plateau State, describing the attacks on residents during Palm Sunday as “gruesome” and unacceptable.

Tinubu condemns killings in Plateau, Kaduna

Condemning the attack, the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, yesterday, assured Nigerians that those responsible would be brought to justice.

He said: “Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village, is a heartless coward. By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting.”

Tinubu directed security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators and curb the spread of misinformation capable of escalating tensions. 

He also cautioned sections of the media against suggesting that the attacks were religiously motivated.

The President reaffirmed that security agencies were actively addressing the situation and stressed the importance of public cooperation.

“I urge our security agencies to be more proactive in preventing these attacks by acting on early warning intelligence. All the remaining abductees from Kahir village must be rescued immediately,” he said. 

He also commended the efforts of Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, and Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, in managing the crises and supporting rescue operations.

“I commend Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State for his efforts in containing the situation in Jos and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for supporting the rescue and containment efforts. I assure the people and government of the two states of my support,” the President said.

Tinubu expressed condolences to families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery, while reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening security operations across the country.

Plateau won’t bow to terror, Mutfwang declares

On his part, Governor Mutfwang, while addressing the people of the state in a state-wide broadcast yesterday, said the state would rise above the incident and remain united in the face of adversity.

“It is with a heavy heart and profound sorrow that I address you today following the tragic security incident in Angwan Rukuba, which led to the loss of 28 innocent lives,” he said.

In a strong message of resolve, the governor declared: “Plateau State will not succumb to fear or intimidation. We shall emerge stronger, united, and resolute in our commitment to peace.”

Describing the attack as senseless, Mutfwang noted that the victims were law-abiding citizens caught off guard.

“The enemies of peace unleashed this senseless attack at about 7:30 p.m.,” he stated, adding that the government shared deeply in the grief of affected families. 

He assured residents that decisive steps had been taken to restore calm, revealing that security agencies had been mobilised and that a 48-hour curfew had been imposed in Jos North to enable thorough operations. 

Mutfwang said he visited the attack scene with security chiefs to assess the situation, noting that the visit provided “critical insights into strengthening our preventive measures against future occurrences.”

The governor also visited victims at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, where he expressed optimism about their recovery.

“I am encouraged by reports that most are in stable condition,” he said, assuring that “the Plateau State government will take full responsibility for the medical expenses of the injured.”

On justice, the governor disclosed that a suspect had been arrested, vowing that all those behind the attack would face the law.

“We are committed to ensuring that all those involved in this heinous act are swiftly brought to justice,” he said.

He assured families of the deceased of government support, including dignified burials and assistance for dependents.

The governor confirmed that 28 persons were killed in the deadly attack, adding that several others sustained injuries.

Mutfwang commended residents, community leaders and youths for exercising restraint and refusing to retaliate, describing their maturity as commendable.

He revealed that security agencies had already apprehended a suspect who had earlier issued threats against the state, and vowed that all perpetrators would be brought to justice and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

To further strengthen security, the governor convened a State Security Council meeting and directed strict enforcement of the existing ban on commercial motorcycle operators, otherwise known as Okada, within the Jos Greater Master Plan. 

NBA says Plateau killings heartbreaking

In its immediate reaction, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, aside from condemning the killings in Plateau, described the attacks on residents during Palm Sunday as “gruesome” and unacceptable.

In a statement by the President, Afam Osigwe, yesterday, NBA said the violence, which left several people dead and others injured, highlighted the worsening insecurity facing citizens across the country.

The association said the incident was particularly tragic as it occurred on a significant Christian observance.

“That this tragedy occurred on Palm Sunday, a sacred day for Christians marking the beginning of Holy Week, makes the incident even more heartbreaking.

“A day meant for prayer, reflection, and hope was instead turned into a day of fear, bloodshed, and mourning,” the statement read.

It added that families and communities were thrown into grief, instead of returning home peacefully from worship, stressing that the recurring attacks must not be allowed to continue.

The NBA warned that repeated killings without accountability were fostering a culture of impunity and eroding public confidence in the state’s ability to protect lives.

“When perpetrators of mass violence continue to evade justice, it sends a dangerous message that human life is expendable. Citizens begin to lose faith in the ability of the state to protect them, and communities are left to live in constant fear,” it said.

Enough is enough, Atiku, Obi Kwankwaso demand action

Also, opposition figures and chieftains of African Democratic Congress, ADC, have called for more stringent actions to address the spike in insecurity, especially with the killing in Jos, Plateau State.

Consequently, ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and ex-Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, were unanimous in their call on authorities to go beyond condemnation and stem the tide.

“It is unacceptable that these attacks happen with such frequency, and even more unacceptable that there seems to be no decisive, sustained strategy to end them. No nation or leader normalises tragedy.  

“The safety of Nigerian lives must become non-negotiable; we cannot continue to mourn what should have been prevented. Enough is enough,’’  Obi wrote on his X handle.

While condoling with the families of the victims, Obi said the attack in Plateau “reminds us, yet again, of the insecurity innocent citizens face in our nation without any protection.”

Atiku re-echoed a similar sentiment, saying he was “outraged by the barbaric attack”.

He wrote on X:  “Despite endless pronouncements and so-called marching orders, insecurity remains the grim, daily reality of ordinary Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt of a failing system. It is long past the time for outrage without action.

“The anger across the land must now compel urgent, decisive political will to confront and crush this menace. The continued slaughter of innocent citizens cannot become our new normal.”

For Kwankwaso, the Jos killing “represents the continuing failure of leadership and the deepening culture of impunity that has turned parts of our country into killing fields.

‘“The recurring violence in Plateau State and, indeed, across several parts of Nigeria, can no longer be treated as business as usual. It demands to be treated as the national emergency that it was declared to be by the federal and state governments.”

“Our people deserve the right to live in peace, security, and dignity, regardless of their ethnicity or faith.”

Sunday’s attack in  Angwan Rukuba,  in Jos North Local Government Area, left 28 people dead and several others wounded.

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