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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday remanded four suspects in custody over the March 28, 2026 killings in Angwan Rukuba community, Jos North Local Government Area.
The court remanded the suspects in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and adjourned the matter till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The court session was brief, as proceedings could not continue due to the absence of defence counsel.
The suspects—Isa Umar Ibrahim; Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo; Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro; and one other—are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences filed by the Plateau State Government.
They were arrested by the DSS between April 3 and April 10, 2026.
In the charge, signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, the prosecutor alleged that the suspects “conspired among 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.
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Justice Fidelia Damulak Fomyong, presiding over Court 12 in Jos, granted the request of the suspects—who spoke through an interpreter—for an adjournment to enable them engage counsel of their choice.
The Solicitor-General of Plateau State, who is also the prosecution counsel, 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 application and adjourned the matter till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The suspects were immediately taken away in a bus to the DSS facility.
Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, the Solicitor-General commended President Bola Tinubu for allowing the suspects to be arraigned in Jos rather than Abuja, as had previously been the case.
He said the suspects were brought before the court within time in order to respect their fundamental human rights.
The March 28 attack on communities in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, Bokkos, and Bassa Local Government Areas left no fewer than 35 persons dead.
