GUNMEN attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, on March 29 triggered a chain of reprisals that has left several people dead and many others injured. In this report, The ICIR examines how the attack unfolded and its impact on already tense communities.
Nusaiba Iliyasu sat curled into herself, her hijab pulled over her face as if to shield the world from her grief. Her shoulders shook as she cried relentlessly, her voice faint and broken. She could barely bring herself to look at the dozen people gathered in her parlour to console her, let alone speak to them.
Nusaiba had just lost her husband, Abubakar Yusuf, in a reprisal attack that followed the Sunday, May 29 attack in Plateau state. The father of her children had left home on Sunday evening, telling her he was going to see a man identified as Ali to deliver money related to their tomato business in Flamingo.
Hours later, Nusaiba said his husband called to inform he was on his way back. But he did not make it home that night. The mother of three was confused and could only pray that his husband make it home the next day. By the next day, she received a call from an unknown person that her husband had been killed around Angwa Rukuba, in Jos North LGA.
Although Yusuf did not survive, his friend Abdullahi Abubakar, who had ridden the motorcycle alongside him, made it out alive. Abubakar said it was around 7 p.m. that evening and they were heading back from Flamingo after settling the tomato deal with Ali.
Hours earlier, they had passed through the same route without any sign of unrest. By the time they were heading back, Angwan Rukuba was already reeling from killings of their people. They pushed forward, oblivious of the danger lurking ahead.
Abubakar said they sighted a crowd gathered around a vehicle. “We didn’t know what was happening,” Abubakar said, explaining that as they pushed forward, they were suddenly intercepted.
Yusuf, who was sitting behind him, was immediately hit on the head, dragged off the motorcycle, and beaten. He was not spared either. He was dragged alongside “more than ten people,” whom he said were already lying on the ground.
Before he could make sense of the situation, a blow landed on his head and he collapsed. From that moment, everything became blurred. He could not tell what was being done to Yusuf. For over 20 minutes, he said, the beating continued relentlessly, without pause.
He was then labelled a “Hausa.” Although he tried to deny this and insisted he was an indigene of Anaguta, one of the attackers poured petrol on him and declared that he must die after they concluded he could not communicate properly in Anaguta’s local language, Iguta. In Plateau State, such attacks are often quickly framed along communal or religious lines, with Christian or Muslim dominated communities often interpreting such incidents as part of wider clashes when they are attacked by masked or unidentified group.
For decades, Jos North had sat on fragile fault lines shaped by questions of identity, land, and political control. Once celebrated as part of Plateau’s “Home of Peace and Tourism” identity, the area has gradually become a flashpoint. Many trace this shift to 1991, when the creation of Jos North Local Government under the military government of Ibrahim Babangida was seen by indigenous groups, particularly the Berom, Anaguta and Afizere, as tilting power toward Hausa-Fulani settlers. The decision deepened divisions that would soon turn violent, with early clashes in the 1990s laying the groundwork for recurring cycles of unrest, often tied to religion and ethnicity.
Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to escape, Abubakar was able to slip into a nearby bush. He was chased, and eventually dragged out. He said he was beaten until he fell repeatedly and eventually lay still that would make his attacker believe he was dead.
That moment saved his life. When he later regained some strength, he removed his kaftan and remained hidden in the bush until he was fully conscious to finally step out of the forest.
Nusaiba’s husband was one of the several people killed by the irate youths in Angwan Rukuba in a reprisal attack that followed the Sunday attack in the town. It led to the killing of 26 persons from the town, which later rose to 33.
Videos of the reprisal attack and independent findings by The ICIR indicate that no fewer than three people were killed that night.
Angwan Rukuba bleeds on Palm Sunday night
It was supposed to be a great and trouble-free Sunday that evening on March 29, in Angwan Rukuba Jos North, Plateau State, but yet-to-be identified gunmen quickly spiralled the town into one of the deadliest nights the town has ever experienced.
Around 7:45 p.m., the attackers, who operated in groups of about six to seven, stepped out of a white vehicle at the Angwan Rukuba–New Jerusalem junction and opened fire on residents who had come out to trade and purchase provisions. Angwan Rukuba, a predominantly Christian community, is a diverse and vibrant settlement, with different ethnic backgrounds coexisting and engaging in trade.
Witnesses said confusion quickly set in, as residents initially mistook the gunfire for routine operations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. But before they knew what was going on, the violence spread rapidly across multiple points.
At Nico Best Patent Medicine shop, three people were immediately shot dead. At George’s Provision shop, another four were killed, while one person was killed at Abdulsalam POS shop. Both George and Abdulsalam POS shop was one of the several shops close to the Angwan Rukuba-New Jerusalem junction where the assailants had come down from the car.
In another account, about five more people were shot in front of George shop, as the attackers continued firing at anyone caught in their path. The attackers moved through Angwan Rukuba Gari Awaye after the initial shootings. They retreated and repositioned along that side, killing people along their way before disappearing into the mountain.
A community youth leader, Christopher Sani Kachura, told The ICIR that he and his team were on a routine community sanitation and anti-drug patrol when they first heard gunshots. Like many residents, who spoke with The ICIR, Kachura said they initially mistook the armed men for operatives of the NDLEA, who sometimes operate in the area and fire warning shots during operations.
According to him, the situation escalated when civilians realised the men were not security personnel but unidentified attackers dressed in camouflage.
“They began to shoot randomly… people started running everywhere,” he said, adding that several persons were hit before they could take cover.
By the time the attackers moved out through adjoining routes into the mountain, at least 26 people had been killed, according to Kachura, with additional victims later dying in hospital, pushing the death toll higher in subsequent reports.
Recent reports from sources indicate that at least 33 people have now been confirmed dead from the Sunday attack while several others are still being attended to in different hospitals.
Deaths, near deaths and more deaths
Mary Sunday did not immediately realise the gunshots they were hearing from the main road was coming from the ravaging gunmen who had killed dozens of people at the junction. That evening, she stood outside with two others, including Longwa Buba Lawrence, a 45-year-old father of three, when a man in camouflage approached and stopped just a few steps from them.
The gunmen were passing through Gari Awaye street, retreating into the forest. Gari Awaye was the street that houses Sunday’s family house.
Sunday said after seeing the man in security operative dress, they assumed it was routine. But Lawrence would soon ask whether the man was part of the NDLEA operatives that often patrolled the area but the man did not respond. Instead, he pulled out a gun and shot him twice at close range.
For a brief moment, Sunday said she was confused and did not know what to do. She then ran through a narrow corner that led to another house in the area. The third man, sitting alongside Sunday and Lawrence was chased down and shot at, but was fortunate to survive.
Lawrence was left on the ground as he struggled to breathe. He died before reaching the hospital.
Just a few steps away was Rhoda Ayuba who was still reeling from the pain of losing his only son during Sunday’s attack. She freaked out at the mention of the incident and was still trying to make sense of the loss.
She was inside her shop with her other children when she heard shouting and the sound of people running. She hurried her children indoors, but one of her daughters was left outside and had to take cover inside the shop.
“Then two of the attackers came. One stood downstairs while the other climbed the stairs toward the shop after seeing her go inside.
“At that point, one of my neighbours came out and asked them, thinking they were security operatives. He said, “Officer, is it drugs? I am talking to you, is it drugs?” The gunmen she said responded in Fulfude, before killing the neighbour.
“After they went down, they shot my neighbour and killed him. Immediately after that, they left the scene,” he narrated.
It was only after they left that she was told her son had also been shot. Her son had gone out earlier to buy a recharge card when he was caught up in the attack. He was 23 years old and her only male child among four children.
Sunday and Ayuba were not alone. Elsewhere, Suleiman Abdulsalam was in his POS shop when the gunshots began. From his position, he saw one victim collapse but before he could close the shop, he said people began rushing towards his shop to seek refuge.
Abdulsalam’s shop has an exit door, which he quickly opened to allow them escape but not everyone made it.
Suleiman said the last man trying to get through was shot. However, he could hide behind the exit door before the assailant retreatd.
Shot in the ribs
Chinedu David, a 37-year-old pharmacy owner was shot in the abdomen when he was trying to close his shop that evening.
David was standing in front of his shop near the Angwan Rukuba police station when he first heard gunshots. After peeping outside and seeing people running for safety, he realised he needed to quickly close his shop.
In a split-second decision, he tried to pull down his shop door to secure himself and the people inside, including his mother who was with him at the time. But before the door could be fully shut, bullet struck him close to the ribs.
Despite being injured from the gunshot, Chinedu said he managed to escape as the attackers continued shooting nearby. He applied pressure to his wound to control the bleeding and made his way down the road while the shooting continued behind him.
He was later helped by a commercial motorcyclist who took him first to Ola Hospital. But when they found no doctor on duty, he was rushed again to Bingham Teaching Hospital, where he eventually received treatment.
The reprisal and the uproar in Jos north
The ICIR reports that following the attack and the Sunday night reprisal that led to the killing of at least three people, the state government swiftly imposed a 48-hour curfew in the state. The curfew was later relaxed on Tuesday March 31, from between 8am to 3pm. This allowed irate youths on both sides to attack each other on Wednesday, April 1.
While several attacks were reported in different part of Jos North on Wednesday, there are different accounts of how the unrest started in Angwan Rukuba, and its bordering communities Nasarawwa Gwom and Duala, which are basically Muslim communities.
Accounts from residents of the Angwan Rukuba showed that the unrest started after a commercial bike man, with passengers, was forced out of the community in their attempt to gain access. Other residents also said they saw a bike man around their ECWA church with local guns on that morning, which made them stand up against them.
But residents of Duala and Nasarawwa Gwom communities claimed otherwise. Several residents who spoke with The ICIR said they moved to the Duala junction, which borders the two communities after seeing one of their vigilantes (local security) being chased by Angwan Rukuba youths, with blood all over his body. In another account of residents living at the Nasarawa Gwom, some water vendors who had also pushed water into the community were also harassed.
The ICIR could not independently verify which of the competing accounts from both parties is accurate. However, at least one person, identified as Alkasim Umar Hussaini, was killed at Duala Junction, while 15 residents, including bystanders in the area, were said to have suffered severe injuries, including gunshot.
Sources from Angwan Rukubu said no death was recorded on their side, except for the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) at Duala Junction, which was attacked, and several members living in the church quarters who were beaten by Duala youths.
The ICIR made several attempts to speak with the affected staff, including visits to the host community, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Church members who promised to link the reporter with the victims said the affected persons had not yet returned to the quarters and could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
Beyond Angwa Rukuba, The ICIR identified two Christians – Stephen Joshua Dako and Adeyemo Temitope – who were attacked and killed along Bauchi road and opposite the University of Jos permanent site gate respectfully.
Father, son shot multiple times defending their home
For Abas Aliyu, the memory of a previous attack on his home was still fresh when gunfire erupted again in Angwa Rukuba junction on Wednesday, April. This time, he and his son would both leave with bullet wounds. He said they were lucky the bullets were shot from a local gun.
Aliyu said he was inside his house at the junction, very close to Angwan Rukuba but falls within Duala, when he began to hear shouting from outside. The noise immediately reminded him of an earlier crisis during which part of his home was burned. Fearing a repeat, Aliyu stepped out to see what was happening.
Outside, he met his first son, Huwaiz, and a few others. Together, they moved across the road and stood in front of the house, trying to understand the situation and, as they would later explain, protect their property from being attacked again.
They were still standing guard when the shooting started.
“We were just standing there when the shooting started,” Aliyu said. “They shot me in my stomach and they shot my son in three places.”
Huwaiz Abas, said he was asleep when he heard the commotion. “I stepped out and stood in front of the house to defend it from being burned like last time,” he said, explaining that their home sits at a central point linking Angwa Rukuba and Duala junction.
While standing alongside his father, Abas said he heard a sharp pain in his hand, then leg. “I heard a gunshot and felt a sharp pain on my hand, then my leg, and then my thigh. I was shot three times,” he said.
Aliyu said the scene quickly turned chaotic as blood poured from his son’s wounds. “Blood was coming out from his mouth… everywhere,” he said. With no time to process what had happened, they fled the area in search of help.
They were eventually taken to Ola Hospital for initial treatment before being referred to Bingham hospital for further care. Days after the attack, Abas said he is still living with the pain.
While Aliyu and Abas might just have been unfortunate to have lived close to the area, some other victims participated in the unrest on that day.
Umar Yahaya said he was sitting at the junction when he saw a vigilante member being chased by Angwa Rukuba youths, who were beating, and stoning him. He said residents rushed in to rescue the victim and others caught in the violence.
Yahaya said the confrontation quickly turned chaotic, with multiple people sustaining injuries during the unrest. He added that he did not immediately realise he had been hit by a bullet until soldiers arrived and he was taken to the hospital, where he saw blood from his wound.
Youth corper killed by mob as violence spread
The Wednesday violence flared up as hoodlums attacked motorists and passers-by in other parts of the state capital. During the attacks, The ICIR confirmed that dozens of people were injured while a few were killed from both sides. Independent findings showed that the violence spilled into Bauchi Road, Gada Biu, and the University of Jos permanent site axis.
Youths were seen throwing stones at security personnel, who responded by firing into the air to disperse the crowd and restore calm. Reinforcement teams were later deployed to douse the tension. The most affected areas included the University of Jos axis, Bauchi Road, Farin Gada, Tina Junction, Chobe, and Farin Gada Junction.
As the unrest spread across these flashpoints, many residents found themselves trapped in sudden waves of violence that disrupted movement and forced people to flee for safety. It was within this wider chaos that a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Stephen Joshua Dakup, was caught while travelling through Jos on his way to Bauchi State.
A family representative Julius Joshua told The ICIR that Stephen Joshua Dako, 29, was serving in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State and had been trying to return to his place of assignment, when he was caught up in the violence along Bauchi Road in Jos North.
According to him, Dakop was inside a commercial vehicle when it was intercepted by irate youths during the violence. The family source said another corps member in the same vehicle was also attacked as passengers were targeted indiscriminately. “He was crying, saying he is a corps member, but they did not listen,” the source said.
The family would later learn about his demise later that evening after an NYSC staff member contacted them. Subsequent checks at the Jos General Hospital and its mortuary indicated that bodies had been brought in from the unrest, including Stephen’s, though the total number of casualties from the specific attack remained unclear.
Father mourns 25-year-old son killed in Gada-Biu
Ahmed Mohammed, a 60-year-old father of seven, sat with his kinsmen against a sun-baked wall on Friday, April 3, when The ICIR met him at his home in Kwanan Shagari. His eyes were swollen from hours of crying after losing his son, AbdulBasi on Wednesday, April 1.
At several points, he paused, wiping his tears with the edge of his garment, but the tears did not stop. The pain was too much for Mohammed to bear, and he could only ask what his boy’s fault was to be killed in such a cold-blooded manner.
Abdul Basi had set out on Wednesday like any other day to carry on with his transport business. He rode his tricycle and conveyed passengers along the route toward Duala. But he never made it past Gada Biyu.
According to his father, the attack happened in Gada Biyu where they attacked and hit him with an axe. “The ladies jumped from the motorcycle when they saw what was happening.” He said police officers later arrived at the scene and rushed his son to a hospital.
Ahmed said before his people got to the hospital, his son was already dead. AbdulBasi’s tricycle was also burnt after his killing.
He added that despite reporting the incident and submitting details to the police, no authority has reached out to the family.
Authorities say investigation ongoing
The Nigeria authorities have said that investigations into the killings are ongoing, with the Federal Government directing security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for the Angwan Rukuba attack.
On Tuesday, April 1, the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, described the attack as “tragic” and said there would be no safe haven for those behind it.
According to him, ongoing security operations in Plateau State are already generating actionable intelligence, with assurances that perpetrators would be brought to justice.
The government said troops had been deployed under Operation Enduring Peace, with security forces conducting search-and-clearance operations, securing key routes, and intensifying surveillance across affected areas.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M