Women dressed in black and carrying green leaves lock the gates of the Evangelical Church Winning All in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, on Tuesday, chanting solidarity songs and halting a mass burial as about seven victims of the Palm Sunday attack were brought for interment.
Women in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Tuesday halted a planned mass burial for victims of the recent Palm Sunday attack, blocking access to a church to demand the release of three detained youths.
The protest disrupted funeral arrangements for victims of the attack, which left at least 28 people dead and several others injured, as mourners, sympathisers and officials were prevented from entering the burial venue.
Dressed in black and carrying green leaves, the women locked the gates of the ECWA Church and chanted solidarity songs, creating a tense standoff as about seven corpses were brought for interment.
Residents at the scene said the protest was triggered by the arrest of three youths by security operatives in connection with investigations into the killings.
Hours into the standoff, the detained youths — Joseph Bitrus, Azi Daddy and Moses Kefas — were released and returned to the community, drawing cheers from the protesters.
The women subsequently reopened the church gates, allowing the burial service to proceed.
Speaking during the protest, a resident, Ijeoma Patrick, said the arrests were unjustified.
“They were arrested without any justification. These are young men who were only trying to defend the community when the violence started,” she said.
Another resident, Sarki Izang, questioned the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the terms of the release.
“They did nothing wrong. Now that they have been released, we want to know whether it was on bail or unconditional,” he said.
He commended the role played by women and youths in securing the release of the detainees, as well as the intervention of government officials.
The Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba and neighbouring communities was carried out by gunmen who reportedly stormed the area at night, opened fire on residents and fled.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Julie Sanda, urged residents to remain calm amid heightened tension.
“This is a grieving process. The pain is deep, and the anger is understandable, but we must ensure it does not lead to further harm,” she said.
Security personnel were deployed to the area to prevent escalation, although attempts to obtain official comments from security authorities on the arrests were unsuccessful as of press time.
While calm was eventually restored and the burial concluded, the incident underscores lingering tensions in Plateau State following repeated episodes of violence in affected communities.
