The trial of five suspects linked to the attack on Angwan Rukuba Community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State has been adjourned to 30th April, 2026, for the defendants to take their plea.
Justice JD Fomyil, in his ruling, said that “the four suspects couldn’t present counsel for them to take their individual plead.”
“You would recall that the Angwan Rukuba Community attacked recorded 20 death and several others sustained various degrees of injuries,” he stated.
The Solicitor General of Plateau State, Joel Takbal, told the court that “the defendants are to be remanded at the Department of State Security, DSS, to ease their investigation which is ongoing.”
According to him, “we have rushed to the court to arraign them because as authority we don’t want to violate their fundamental right of freedom of expression,” the report noted.
He added that “their remand before the DSS office was to facilitate for investigation that is ongoing.”
Takbal explained the reason for the court appearance: “We are in court today because you recall there was an attack at Angwan Rukuba a fortnight ago. Thereafter, the President also came to the state and he gave a marching order to all the investigatory agencies.
“Whereupon, the DSS swung into action and, with God’s help, they were able to arrest these four defendants whom we have in court today.”
He said the arraignment stalled because, “they were not represented by counsel. So we had to adjourn the matter to the 30th of April to enable them secure the attendance or services of counsel of their choice.”
On the venue of prosecution, Takbal said: “When arrests were made in the state, over the years prosecutions were not done here. The suspects were usually taken to Abuja and not prosecuted here. But today, they’ve permitted us to prosecute them here. That is why we are arraigning them in court in the state here.”
He referenced presidential intervention: “You recall that when Mr. President came, he pledged and gave an order that security materials, CCTV cameras and the like, will be given to the state for the purpose of security. That will go a long way in helping to secure the state.”
Takbal added, “again, the issue of prosecuting them here — like I said, hitherto, this wasn’t the practice. But we give God the glory that this is now happening here.
“It’s something to appreciate Mr. President, the Governor, and even the Department of State Security (DSS) for this collaboration and support to enable us have this matter prosecuted in the state.”
He clarified that, one of the suspects was arraigned separately before he was joined with the other suspects.
“One was arraigned separately before Court 12 because the offenses, apart from being involved in the offenses in Court 9, are also offenses peculiar to him.”
Takbal disclosed that the offences of the 5th defendant were committed from 2025 to 2026 around Ryom axis and Barkin Ladi LGA.
“That is why they charged him separately for that category of offenses,” he stated.
