Tension remains high in Plateau State as the death toll from Sunday night’s brutal assault on the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North has now climbed to twenty-five confirmed fatalities.
In a swift response to the escalating violence, the state government has imposed a 48-hour curfew on the local government area to prevent a total breakdown of law and order.
What was supposed to be a quiet Sunday evening in the Gari Ya Waye suburb of Angwan Rukuba turned into a scene of carnage when gunmen, reportedly numbering over twenty and some allegedly dressed in security-style regalia, stormed the area.
Witnesses describe a calculated and well-coordinated ambush where attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire indiscriminately on residents at a popular local spot.
Beyond the immediate physical violence, there is a growing outcry against the digital triggers of this unrest.
Community members speaking to AIT News have called for the urgent prosecution of individuals using social media platforms to incite ethnic and religious division, which many believe fueled the barbaric and unprovoked” nature of this specific strike.
The security landscape in Jos North is currently dominated by a heavy deployment of personnel from the Nigerian Police Force and the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven.
They are tasked with enforcing a 48-hour curfew that began at midnight on March 29 and is scheduled to remain in place until April 1, 2026.
However, the task is proving difficult as pockets of angry youth have reportedly blocked major roads and engaged in retaliatory skirmishes, further complicating the stabilization efforts.
The violence has also paralyzed academic life; the University of Jos has officially suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday due to the proximity of the institution to the affected neighborhoods.
(Editor: Roluke Ogundele)
