President Bola Tinubu and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang have vowed swift justice for the victims of the deadly gunmen attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area, which claimed 28 lives on Palm Sunday.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu condemned the killings as the work of “heartless cowards” aiming to trigger reprisal attacks and spread fear.
He directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and curb misinformation, while cautioning against framing the attacks as religiously motivated.
“The remaining abductees from Kahir village must be rescued immediately,” the President added, commending Plateau Governor Mutfwang and Kaduna Governor Uba Sani for their efforts in crisis management and rescue operations.
Governor Mutfwang, speaking in a state-wide broadcast, reassured residents that Plateau State would not succumb to fear or intimidation. He described the attack as senseless and emphasized that decisive measures—including a 48-hour curfew in Jos North and mobilization of security forces—had been taken to restore calm.
He confirmed the arrest of a suspect connected to the killings and pledged full support for victims’ families, including medical care and dignified burials.
Mutfwang also thanked residents for their restraint, noting that community maturity prevented further escalation.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the attack as “gruesome and unacceptable,” highlighting the tragedy’s timing on Palm Sunday, a sacred Christian observance. NBA President Afam Osigwe called for accountability and warned that repeated impunity undermines public confidence in security agencies.
Opposition leaders, including ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, also condemned the attack. They called for decisive political action to address rising insecurity nationwide. Obi stated, “The safety of Nigerian lives must become non-negotiable; we cannot continue to mourn what should have been prevented.”
The deadly incident in Angwan Rukuba has reignited national debate on security and impunity, with citizens, authorities, and civil society demanding urgent measures to prevent further bloodshed.
