Gunmen who carried out the deadly assault on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday arrived on motorcycles and wore military-style outfits, a youth leader has revealed, describing the incident as swift, coordinated and deceptive.
“Our attackers came on bikes in military-style attire,” Comrade Samson Chiroma said while recounting the Sunday night attack during Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s visit to the area.
According to locals, the attackers opened fire randomly, killing at least 27 individuals and causing mayhem in the neighborhood. Another eyewitness, told journalists that the attackers took advantage of the initial uncertainty among the residents by moving from house to house.
“But the shooting didn’t sound normal; the attackers operated for several minutes before vanishing,” he said, noting that many initially mistook the gunfire for a routine operation by security or drug enforcement agents.
Citing their frequent usage in violent attacks, the Plateau State Government has taken action to strengthen enforcement of an already-existing ban on commercial motorcycles.
“The ban on commercial motorcycles in Jos and Bukuru, originally enacted in 2012 under the Greater Jos Master Plan, remains fully in force and active,” Commissioner for Transport, Davou Jatau, said in a statement.
He added that authorities had directed security agencies to intensify patrols and prosecute violators, stressing that motorcycles have been linked to criminal activities and quick escape routes for attackers.
“The Plateau State Government assures residents of its unwavering commitment to ensuring safety and providing efficient transport services across the state,” the statement read, while urging citizens to report suspicious motorcycle movements.
Ciroma’s report are somewhat similar to the pattern that Sen. Alli Ndume raised concerns on about two weeks ago. The Borno senator expressed new worries about the changing strategies used by terrorists and bandits in Nigeria, cautioning that their activities are become more coordinated and hazardous. The lawmaker claimed that insurgents frequently use “hit-and-run” strategies, obtaining information and planning community movements before to attacking.
“What they do is hit and run. They gather around, pass information among themselves, and most dangerously, they get information from some citizens too. They have informants within the society,” he had stated.
“You can imagine, even the bomb that exploded, it was delivered by Keke Napep. They package it and give it to people in Keke Napep to deliver at specific spots,” he had added.
In response to the killings, Governor Mutfwang warned that the state is facing a new security threat and called the attack “cowardly and utterly senseless.”
“It is deeply heartbreaking that a city we have long regarded as one of the most peaceful in the region has witnessed such horror,” he said.
“We are now confronted with an emerging phase of urban terrorism, and this demands a fundamental rethink of our security architecture, shifting from reactive responses to proactive, intelligence-led operations.”
The governor revealed that security agencies have already made some headway, including the arrest of a person connected to instigating violence, and that victims are undergoing care at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.
“The time for hesitation is over. We must deploy every available resource to defend our people, protect lives and property, and safeguard the territorial integrity of our state,” he added.
As locals deal with the fallout from one of the deadliest recent attacks in Plateau, police officials say they are working to find the criminals and bring peace.
