By Editor
Residents of the Anguwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State have confirmed at least 26 deaths following the deadly Palm Sunday attack, with more victims still hospitalised.
In a fresh video released on Monday morning and obtained by SaharaReporters, lifeless bodies of victims were seen lying out, as community members struggled to come to terms with the scale of the killings.
A visibly distressed community leader, who spoke in the video, said the attackers laid an ambush on unsuspecting residents and carried out a coordinated massacre.
“They laid an ambush on our people. They killed more than 26. We are still counting, as some corpses are in the hospital. We are calling on the government to take necessary actions. If not, we won’t be able to control the youths again. We are tired of the killings. We are tired of the Fulani militant actions,” he said.
The latest revelation comes amid rising tension and anger in the community, following Sunday night’s attack in which suspected terrorists reportedly dressed in military uniforms stormed the area and opened fire on residents.
As earlier reported by SaharaReporters, hundreds of residents on Monday morning defied the government-imposed curfew, trooping to the streets to protest against what they described as persistent killings and government inaction.
One of the protesters, speaking during a live stream, described the chaotic moments during the attack and the absence of an immediate security response.
“People are outside because of the attack that happened yesterday. They chased the security men because they were not providing any help right here. Yesterday, around 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at night, there was no light, so these people were firing, as in straight shooting on rapid. A lot of people had to flee for their lives,” the resident said.
The protest later turned tense after operatives of the Nigeria Police Force moved in to disperse the crowd.
Eyewitnesses said officers began chasing demonstrators while preparing to fire tear gas canisters.
“People are now running because the police want to shoot at us. They want to fire teargas,” another witness said.
Residents have continued to accuse authorities of failing to prevent repeated attacks in the area, insisting that the curfew imposed by the state government does not address the root causes of the violence.
The Plateau State Government had earlier announced a 48-hour curfew across Jos North Local Government Area following the attack.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, described the killings as tragic and condemned the violence.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang also denounced the incident as “barbaric and unprovoked,” assuring residents that security agencies had been mobilised to apprehend those responsible.
However, Monday’s developments suggest growing frustration among residents, who warn that continued inaction could trigger further unrest, particularly among youths increasingly angered by the repeated bloodshed.
The incident adds to a disturbing pattern of violence in Plateau State, where communities have repeatedly come under deadly attacks, raising fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and the government’s capacity to protect vulnerable populations.
Photo credit: X user
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