Plateau State Government has filed terrorism-related charges against five suspects over the March 2026 killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, with four of them arraigned before the state High Court.
The defendants—Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar (also known as Auwalu Dogo), Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (alias Yaroro), and Adamu Isa Alhassan—were brought before Justices Gidelia Fomyong and Jacob Longden under heavy security.
A fifth suspect, Ado Ibrahim, is currently at large.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) between April 3 and April 10, 2026.
According to court filings by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, the accused allegedly conspired to plan, organise, and finance the attack on Angwan Rukuba, which resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people.
Parts of the charge read that the defendants “planned, organised, facilitated and contributed money to carry out the attack,” leading to multiple deaths within the jurisdiction of the court.
The charges include criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences, said to be contrary to Sections 269 and 270 of the Plateau State Penal Code Law, 2017.
While Ibrahim, Abubakar, and Musa are primarily charged with terrorism-related offences, Alhassan faces additional counts, including culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.
Prosecutors further alleged that Alhassan was linked to a series of attacks in Riyom and parts of Jos South Local Government Areas between 2025 and early 2026.
The suspects were arraigned amid tight security presence at the court premises, reflecting heightened public interest following the killings.
The March 2026 attack, which also affected communities in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas, sparked widespread condemnation and protests across the state.
President Bola Tinubu, who visited Plateau State in the aftermath, assured affected communities that “those responsible will be brought to justice.”
The case has been adjourned to April 30, 2026, for further hearing, while security agencies continue efforts to arrest the remaining suspect.
