JOS: Tension has gripped residents of Anguwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State after gunmen reportedly dressed in military uniforms stormed the community on Sunday evening and opened fire on residents, leaving several people dead and others injured.
The attack, which occurred on Palm Sunday, has heightened fear across the area, with eyewitnesses recounting how the assailants carried out the operation in a brazen manner without immediate resistance.
According to residents, the gunmen arrived at about 8 p.m. and began shooting indiscriminately in what witnesses described as a busy market environment.
A resident identified as Nyam Isaac said the attackers stormed the area wearing military-style khaki uniforms before unleashing gunfire on people in the vicinity.
This is my area. Gunmen came around 8 p.m. to a place called Angwa Rukuba and shot randomly at people. It’s a market setting. People who saw them said they came in soldier khaki. They left many injured,” he said.
Eyewitness accounts shared on social media also confirmed the attack, describing scenes of panic as residents fled for safety.
A social media user identified as ABUJAGIST wrote that the attackers unleashed terror on unsuspecting residents in the community.
Crisis in Jos: Gunmen attacked Angwa Rukuba Community, killing several residents in sporadic shooting. Tension gripped the area after the sudden attack,” the post read.
The incident sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing anger and frustration over the recurring violence in the region.
Another user, Kaptain Kush, lamented what he described as the growing normalisation of mass killings in Nigeria, particularly in Plateau State. Jos is under curfew tonight. Palm Sunday. Gunmen on motorcycles shot through a student community and killed at least 10 people.
Over 40 dead in Plateau since Thursday. And tomorrow morning Nigerian political Twitter will be back to debating 2027 candidates like this is not happening,” he wrote.
He added that the continued loss of lives in parts of the country had gradually become normalised.
We have normalized the deaths of some Nigerians so completely that the normalization itself no longer shocks us. That is the most frightening part.”
Another user, Oyindamola, questioned the government’s response to the persistent violence.
What happened in Jos yesterday is really sad… Why is the government allowing this to happen to its citizens? What kind of government is this?” she wrote.
Following the attack, the Plateau State Government confirmed the incident and immediately imposed a 48-hour curfew across Jos North Local Government Area to restore order.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap.
According to the statement, the curfew was introduced after a deadly security incident in the Gari Ya Waye community of Angwan Rukuba, which resulted in several fatalities and multiple injuries.
Following the tragic security incident that occurred at Gari Ya Waye community, Angwan Rukuba today, Sunday, resulting in the loss of lives while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries, the government has imposed a 48-hour curfew within Jos North Local Government Area with immediate effect, the statement read.
The curfew took effect from midnight on March 29 and is expected to remain in place until April 1, 2026.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang strongly condemned the killings, describing the incident as a barbaric and unprovoked assault on innocent citizens.
He assured residents that security agencies had been mobilised to track down those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice.
Authorities also urged residents to remain indoors during the curfew period, remain vigilant and provide useful information to security agencies to aid investigations.
The latest attack adds to growing concerns about insecurity in Plateau State, where several communities have faced repeated assaults by unidentified gunmen in recent years.
Security analysts warn that the recurring violence continues to deepen humanitarian concerns and raises questions about the effectiveness of security measures in the region.
For many residents, the Palm Sunday attack has once again highlighted the fragile security situation in parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where communities continue to grapple with recurring violence and displacement.
