Chaos and fear have gripped Jos North Local Government Area after a deadly attack on Angwan Rukuba claimed multiple lives and left others injured, prompting the Plateau State Government to enforce a 48-hour curfew.
The curfew takes effect from midnight, March 29, to April 1, 2026, the government announced in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Rt. Hon. Joyce Lohya Ramnap.
Authorities described the attack in the Gari Ya Waye community as a “tragic security incident” that has escalated tensions in the area.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang condemned the assault as “barbaric and unprovoked”, assuring residents that security forces have been deployed to restore order and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The Plateau State Government, together with security agencies, wishes to inform the public of the imposition of a 48-hour curfew in Jos North Local Government Area with immediate effect,” the statement read.
Mutfwang stressed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property, adding that all necessary measures are being taken to apprehend those responsible and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
Residents have been urged to remain calm, cooperate with security operatives, and report credible information to aid investigations. Only essential movements will be permitted during the curfew.
The latest violence has intensified concerns over security in Jos, with locals calling for stronger measures to prevent further attacks and restore lasting peace.
Plateau, like other states in the North-Central and North-West regions, has been under repeated assault by armed groups. On March 14, gunmen, suspected to be bandits, killed 20 people and stole cattle during an ambush on a military patrol, according to the Kanam Development Association (KADA).
The ambush claimed the lives of 12 security personnel and eight community defenders, highlighting the growing vulnerability of rural communities in the area.
KADA noted that the gunmen also looted nearby communities, further compounding the suffering of locals already plagued by repeated attacks and kidnappings.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, continues to battle insurgency and rising armed violence, with the Nigerian Army’s efforts hampered by the presence of multiple non-state actors in the region.
