A Plateau State High Court on Thursday remanded four suspects in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, over the March 28, 2026 killings in Angwan Rukuba community, Jos North Local Government Area, and adjourned the matter till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The arraignment could not proceed due to the absence of defence counsel.
The four suspects Isa Umar Ibrahim; Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo; Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro; and one other were arrested by the DSS between April 3 and April 10, 2026.
They are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences filed by the Plateau State Government.
The charge, signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, alleged that the suspects “conspired amongst themselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when they planned, organised, facilitated, aided and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba, which led to the death of over 30 persons.”
The offences are said to be contrary to Section 269 and punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday before Justice Gidelia Damulak Fomyong in Court 12 in Jos, the suspects, who spoke through an interpreter, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable them engage counsel of their choice.
Meanwhile, prosecution counsel and Solicitor-General of Plateau State, Joel Tagven, did not oppose the request but urged the court to remand the suspects in DSS custody for easy access and continuation of investigation.
The judge granted the prayer and adjourned the matter till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The suspects were immediately whisked away in a bus to the DSS facility.
Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, the Solicitor-General commended President Bola Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for the prosecution of the suspects in the state.
He listed four reasons for appreciating the President: the marching order that led to the arrest of the suspects by the DSS; the directive that the suspects be prosecuted in Plateau State rather than being taken to Abuja, as was the previous practice; the approval of security equipment such as CCTV cameras; and the collaboration that enabled the state to handle the prosecution locally.
The March 28 attack on communities in Bokkos and Bassa Local Government Areas, including Angwan Rukuba in Jos North, left no fewer than 30 persons, including children, dead.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang had condemned the killings, describing them as genocide rather than a farmer-herder clash, and vowed that “life must go on” and that violence on the Plateau would end.
President Tinubu, who visited the state also assured victims that justice would be served and urged residents to remain vigilant.
Meanwhile, family members and business partners of four of the five suspects arrested by the Department of State Services( DSS), over the March 28 attack and killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North LGA, have denied the allegations against them.
The four suspects’ relatives and associates said Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim and Adamu Isa Alhassan were not involved in the Anguwan Rukuba community, insisting that they are businessmen who trade daily in the market.
The denial followed reports published on Wednesday by national dailies stating that the suspects were involved in the killings, prompting the Plateau State Government to file charges against them.
But at a press conference in Jos, the relatives denied any involvement by their family members, saying none was arrested with arms or linked to any evidence related to the accusations.
They however called on DSS Director General and other relevant authorities to ensure the suspects get justice.
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