On Sunday, March 5, 2026, suspected members of the armed group descended on Angwan Rukuba, in Jos North Local Government Area, killing over 20 people and leaving several others wounded. In a statewide broadcast following the deadly attack, the governor put the number of those killed at 28.
“I feel deeply the weight of the pain inflicted on our people,” the governor said, vowing that Plateau State won’t yield to fear or intimidation, which the attackers aim to instill on the people and force them to flee from their ancestral homes.
“We shall emerge stronger, united, and resolute in our faith and commitment to peace,” the governor stated. He also gave the assurance that efforts would be intensified to secure Plateau communities.
“We must deploy every available resource to defend our people, protect lives and property, and safeguard the territorial integrity of our state. Plateau shall remain strong and peaceful,” the governor said in his broadcast, after visiting the affected area and those wounded in the attack.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked outrage across the country and beyond, with many condemning the attack, which is one of the latest in the mindless killings in the North-Central state and other parts of Nigeria, heightening security concerns in the country.
‘Nigerians Are Tired Of Statements’
Also speaking on the Plateau attack is the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria {CAN}, which is demanding action by the government over the incident, insisting that those behind it must be fished out and prosecuted.
President of CAN, Daniel Okoh, in a statement described the attack as “unacceptable”, adding that “Nigerians are tired of mourning. Nigerians are tired of statements. Nigerians want to see action.”
He urged the authorities to stop paying lip service to the repeated attacks by militia herders, insisting that, “Those responsible for this atrocity must be found, arrested, and made to face justice; swiftly and decisively. Anything less will only deepen the sense that life in our country is no longer protected.”
‘What’s Happening In Plateau Is Pure Genocide’
Meanwhile, a former House of Representative member from Plateau State, Dachung Bagos, has described the killings in his state as ‘pure genocide’, warning that what is needed is decisive action, not political statements.
Mr. Bagos said this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday. According to him, “This is an attack that has been planned. If not because of how calm the youths have been, and we are still calming them, Plateau would have been experiencing a clash narrative.”