The Plateau State government on Thursday arraigned four suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the April 2026 massacre in Angwa Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
The matter was, however, adjourned till April 30.
Justices Danladi Longden and Gegeliah Fwomyon, who presided over Courts 9 and 12 respectively, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSS.
In the wake of the Angwa Rukuba massacre, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Jos where he assured victims of justice.
The government of Plateau State filed charges of criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences against the quartet of Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar aka Auwalu Dogo, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim aka Yaroro.
On his part, Adamu Isa Alhassan, who was the only defendant arraigned in Court 9, is charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and illegally dealing in arms and ammunition.
They 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 the particulars 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.”
On Friday March 28, 2025, about 30 persons including children were killed after suspected herders attacked some communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas and their environs.
