Plateau women block burial of 28 victims to protest arrests

A funeral service for victims of the Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba community, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, was on Tuesday disrupted by a protest led by women who demanded the release of some youths arrested by security agents in the wake of the attack, which claimed at least 28 lives.

The protesters, who were armed with leaves and chanted songs, blocked the entrance of the church in the community where the mass burial service was scheduled to take place, refusing to allow the ceremony to proceed until their demands were met.

“We will not allow the burial to take place until our sons are released,” one of the protesters, Rhoda Aliyu, said.

“Those arrested by soldiers are innocent. They are not the ones who carried out the killings. They should go after the perpetrators and leave our youths alone, and we will not let them be detained unfairly,” another protester, Mathew Bulus, said.

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The protest heightened tension in the community as about seven corpses of the attack victims were brought to the venue.

The protesting women, joined by some youths, locked the entrance of the church where the mass burial was scheduled, citing allegations that military authorities had arrested three youths from the community in connection with investigations into the killings.

A source in the community said that the women were demanding the unconditional release of the arrested youths before any burial could take place.

It will be recalled that unknown gunmen, suspected to be bandits, attacked Angwan Rukuba and the Gari Ya Waye area on Palm Sunday night, killing over 28 people and injuring several others.

The attackers stormed the densely populated community around 8 p.m. and opened fire indiscriminately on residents.

President Bola Tinubu, who visited Plateau State last week following the attack, commiserated with the victims’ families and directed security agencies to arrest the perpetrators.

He also ordered the installation of over 5,000 Artificial Intelligence-enabled CCTV cameras across the state to enhance 24-hour surveillance and combat insecurity.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who had earlier visited the scene, vowed that justice would be served and that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.

He described the attack as a heinous and well-orchestrated act aimed at destabilising the state.

In a statewide broadcast and during stakeholder engagements, Mutfwang assured residents that his administration had taken swift and decisive actions, including convening a Security Council meeting to address lapses and strengthening security measures across vulnerable areas.

He commended the people of Angwan Rukuba and Plateau State for exercising restraint and refusing to retaliate despite the provocation.

The governor further declared that Plateau State would not bow to the blackmail of terror.

Mutfwang also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to collaborate with security agencies and the government in the fight against insecurity, reaffirming his commitment to restoring lasting peace and unity in the state.

Efforts to get the reaction of security agencies on the arrest of the three youths and the ongoing tension proved abortive as of press time.