The Plateau State Government has taken a decisive legal step in the aftermath of the Anguwan Rukuba killings, formally charging five individuals arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over their alleged involvement in the deadly March 2026 attacks in Jos North Local Government Area.
The attack, which occurred on Palm Sunday, left more than 30 people dead and sparked widespread outrage across the country.
The development comes a few weeks after President Bola Tinubu visited the state and promised justice for victims of the attack, with the suspects scheduled to be arraigned on April 23.
Those charged include Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar also known as Auwalu Dogo, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim alias Yaroro, who face charges bordering on criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences.
Another suspect, Adamu Isa Alhassan, faces additional charges including 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 charges were filed by Plateau State Attorney General Philemon Daffi, with the accused alleged to have acted contrary to Sections 269 and 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.
According to court documents, the defendants are accused of planning, organising, and facilitating the attack on Anguwan Rukuba, with prosecutors also alleging that the suspects contributed funds and coordinated activities leading to the assault, while some accomplices remain at large.
In a wider development, Alhassan is also accused of involvement in earlier attacks across communities in Riyom and Jos South Local Government Areas between 2025 and early 2026, incidents that reportedly claimed several lives and deepened insecurity in the state.
The arraignment is being seen as a critical test of the government’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence that has long plagued Plateau State.
