The High Court in Plateau State has adjourned proceedings in the trial of suspects linked to the Angwa Rukuba attack in Jos North owing to the absence of defence counsel. The Plateau State government on Thursday arraigned four suspects arrested by the Department of State Services in connection with the……
The High Court in Plateau State has adjourned proceedings in the trial of suspects linked to the Angwa Rukuba attack in Jos North owing to the absence of defence counsel.
The Plateau State government on Thursday arraigned four suspects arrested by the Department of State Services in connection with the April 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba.
When the matter came up before Courts 9 and 12 of the High Court in Jos, the absence of lawyers for the defendants prevented the court from taking their pleas.
Justices Danladi Longden and Gegeliah Fwomyon, presiding over Courts 9 and 12 respectively, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services.
The state government filed charges of criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and related offences against Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro, and Adamu Isa Alhassan.
Adamu Isa Alhassan, who was arraigned in Court 9, is separately charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.
The suspects were arrested between April 3 and April 10, 2026. The State Attorney General, Philemon Audu Daffi, who is leading the prosecution, said the actions of the four men were “contrary to Section 269 and Punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.”
The particulars of offence read, “That you, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim of Riyom Local Government Area, Auwalu Abubakar (A.K.A Auwalu Dogo) of Jos North Local Government Area, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (A.K.A Yaroro) of Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State; and one Ado Ibrahim (Now at Large) of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, on the 28th day of March, 2025 at Farin Gada, Jos North Local Government Area, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when you planned, organized, facilitated, aided, and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court; you thereby committed the above offence.
“That you, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim of Riyom Local Government Area, Auwalu Abubakar (A.K.A Auwalu Dogo) of Jos North Local Government Area, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (A.K.A Yaroro) of Jos North Local Government Areas of Plateau State; and one Ado Ibrahim (Now at Large) of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, on the 28th day of March, 2025 at Farin Gada, Jos North Local Government Area, did commit the offence of terrorism when you planned, organized, facilitated, aided, contributed and received money to carry out an attack in Angwan Rukuba, which led to the death of over thirty (30) people in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.”
Part of Alhassan’s offence read, “That you Adamu Isah Alhassan together with one Ibrahim Musa (Now at Large), Imarana Sa’idu (Now at Large), Yusuf Sa’idu (Now at Large) Aliyu Usaini (Now at Large), Yahuza Adamu (Now at Large), Mubarak Yunusa (Now at Large), Yakubu, whose surname is unknown (Now at Large) and others also at large between the months of January to December, 2025 and in January, 2026 at Gwang, Rin Ward, Bachit and Bangai Villages of Riyom Local Government Area and Vom in Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Culpable Homicide Punishable with Death, when you armed yourselves with guns, attacked and killed the residents of Gwang, Rin Ward, Bachit and Bangai Villages of Riyom Local Government Area and Vom in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, and you thereby committed the above offence.”
Recall that, on Friday, March 28, 2025, no fewer than 30 persons, including children, were killed after suspected herders attacked some communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas and their environs, of the State. In the wake of the award, President Bola Tinubu visited Jos and assured victims of the attack that justice would be served.
Meanwhile, following the killings, many called for the cancellation of a programme, “Experience Plateau, Arts Meets Fashion.”
Brushing aside the calls, Governor Caleb Mutfwang said cancelling the event would satisfy the agenda of the attackers.
He said, “Last week, Bokkos Local Government Area came under renewed attack by murderers who are desperate to break our spirit. Many advised that we suspend this function, but we realised that these attackers intend to keep us in perpetual mourning, to force us indoors, and to shackle our collective spirit.
“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 note.”
