Four members of Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) were confirmed killed, with 10 others missing, after gunmen attacked Anguwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night. The assault, which began around 7:30 pm, involved armed men in military camouflage riding motorcycles and firing indiscriminately, triggering mass panic. Initial reports recorded 14 deaths, but the toll rose to 27 after 13 critically injured victims died in hospital. JNI Secretary Dr Salim Musa Umar stated that the bodies of the four Muslim victims had been identified at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), while the 10 missing remained uncontacted, their phone lines inactive. Two other JNI members were receiving treatment at JUTH.
Angry youths later took to the streets, blocking roads and targeting motorcycle riders, amid rising tensions. President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack as "barbaric and cowardly," directing security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators and warning against spreading misinformation. He announced plans to equip security forces with advanced technology for real-time criminal tracking. Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang vowed the state would not succumb to fear and extended the curfew in Jos North from April 1, 2026, restricting movement from 7 am to 3 pm. Security forces, including police, soldiers, and NSCDC operatives, maintained a heavy presence across major roads like Ahmadu Bello Way and Bauchi Road. Senator Diket Plang moved a motion urging the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the attacks.
President Tinubu's vow to deploy advanced equipment after the Plateau and Kaduna attacks rings hollow without accountability for persistent security failures. The fact that 27 people could be killed in a coordinated assault despite existing security infrastructure suggests deeper systemic flaws, not just a lack of gadgets. For Nigerians in Jos and Kahir village, another presidential statement offers no tangible protection, especially when similar attacks recur with no consequences for perpetrators.
