The Plateau State Government on Friday filed charges against the five suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the March 2026 killings in Angwa-Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
The development comes a few weeks after President Bola Tinubu visited the state and promised justice for victims of the attack.
The state government filed charges of criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences against the suspects identified as one Isa Umar Ibrahim, one Auwalu Abubakar aka Auwalu Dogo, and one Musa Abubakar Ibrahim aka Yaroro.
Another defendant, Adamu Isa Alhassan, was charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and illegally dealing in arms and ammunition.
They were arrested between 3 April and 10 April 2026.
The State Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, who filed the charges, 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 charges 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 28 March 2025 at Farin Gada, Jos North Local Government Area, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when you planned, organised, 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 28 March 2025 at Farin Gada, Jos North Local Government Area, did commit the offence of terrorism when you planned, organised, 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.”
The charge preferred against Alhassan 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 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.”
The suspects, who were arrested between 3 April and 10 April 2026, will be arraigned on 23 April.
On Friday, 28 March 2025, no fewer than 30 people, including children, were killed after suspected herders attacked some communities in the Bokkos and Bassa local government areas and their environs.
The attack triggered widespread condemnation and a protest.
President Tinubu, who visited the state, sympathised with the affected families and promised that the incident would not be repeated.
Following the killings, many also called for the cancellation of a state-organised programme, ‘Experience Plateau, Arts Meets Fashion’.
But Governor Caleb Mutfwang said that cancelling the event would satisfy the attackers’ agenda.
“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,” he said.
Mutfwang also stated that the killings were not connected to a farmer-herder conflict, but a genocide.
“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,” the governor said.
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