GUNMEN on motorcycles descended on the bustling Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on the evening of March 29, 2026, turning a peaceful Palm Sunday into a scene of carnage.
The attackers struck around 7:50 pm in the Gari Ya Waye area, a densely populated residential neighbourhood popular with students from the nearby University of Jos.
Eyewitnesses described how the armed men initially blended in before suddenly opening fire indiscriminately on residents and passers-by gathered at an open-air spot, believed to be a local beer parlour or relaxation area. Bullets rang out for several minutes as people scampered for safety, leaving bodies strewn across the ground in the chaos that followed.
The assault left a trail of devastation, with the confirmed death toll hovering between 12 and 30 victims, including men and women.
Some local youth leaders who helped recover bodies reported seeing at least 26 corpses at the scene, while fears persisted that the figure could climb higher once those critically injured in hospitals are accounted for.
Many of the victims were ordinary residents going about their evening routines, with reports indicating that students and young people in the area were among those caught in the crossfire.
The sound of gunfire sent panic through the community, forcing families to barricade themselves indoors as the gunmen fled into the night on their bikes.
Security agencies arrived shortly after the attack, but the perpetrators had already vanished, leaving behind a neighbourhood gripped by fear and anger.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the incident as barbaric and unprovoked, visiting the affected area on Monday to console grieving families.
In response to the violence, authorities swiftly imposed a 48-hour curfew across Jos North to prevent any reprisal attacks and restore calm. The University of Jos also suspended academic activities, including ongoing examinations, as a precautionary measure amid the heightened tension.
This latest bloodshed in Angwan Rukuba fits into a disturbing pattern of recurring violence that has plagued the community and broader Jos North for years.
The area has witnessed multiple deadly incidents linked to ethno-religious tensions, farmer-herder clashes, and opportunistic criminal activities.
While rural parts of Plateau State have borne the brunt of mass killings in recent times, the return of such an assault to an urban setting has sent shockwaves through residents who had hoped for relative peace in the city centre.
As investigations continue, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and motives remain unclear, though many point to the deep-seated issues of arms proliferation and unresolved grievances in the Middle Belt region.
Community leaders have appealed for restraint, urging security forces to bring the culprits to justice swiftly.
The curfew remains in effect until April 1, with security personnel deployed to patrol the streets and avert further escalation.
For the people of Angwan Rukuba, the horror of Palm Sunday serves as yet another painful reminder of their vulnerability.
Families are now left to bury their loved ones and nurse the wounded, while the wider Plateau community grapples with the question of when sustained peace will finally take root in a region long tormented by cycles of violence and retaliation.
