Plateau: JNI Confirms 4 Members Killed, 10 Missing as Death Toll Rises to 27 - Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

Plateau: JNI Confirms 4 Members Killed, 10 Missing as Death Toll Rises to 27

Published

on

Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina
Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina

Plateau: JNI Confirms 4 Members Killed, 10 Missing as Death Toll Rises to 27

The Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has confirmed that four of its members were killed and 10 others remain missing following a deadly attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area on Sunday night. The group said its findings were based on reports from Muslim communities in the area.

At least 27 people died in the incident, which was widely condemned by religious and community leaders and heightened fears over recurring violence in central Nigeria. Security sources and eyewitnesses said attackers, reportedly wearing military camouflage and riding motorcycles, stormed the Angwan Rukuba community at around 7:30 p.m., opening fire on residents and triggering widespread panic as people fled for safety.

Initial reports indicated that 14 people were killed at the scene, but the toll rose after critically injured victims later died in the hospital, bringing the total confirmed deaths to 27. Angry youths in the community reacted to the violence by staging protests, blocking major roads, and attacking some motorcycle riders and passengers in retaliation, further complicating the security situation.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Dr. Salim Musa Umar, the JNI said thorough investigations and community reports revealed that four Muslims were among those killed and that 10 individuals remain unaccounted for. “The bodies of the victims have been identified at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), while the ten missing persons remain unaccounted for, with their families having no contact with them since Sunday and their phone numbers switched off,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:

The group added that two injured victims are currently receiving treatment at JUTH and that JNI has been in contact with affected families, offering support and prayers. JNI also condoled with the bereaved families, urged residents to remain calm, and commended the government’s efforts to restore order in the aftermath of the attack.

The Plateau State Government, led by Caleb Mutfwang, imposed a 48‑hour curfew in the Jos North LGA as a precaution to prevent further bloodshed and enable security forces to operate more effectively. Additional security personnel were deployed to the area to bolster safety and assist in ongoing investigations.

Security agencies are currently combing nearby bushes and trails in a bid to apprehend the attackers, with combined efforts from the army, police, and paramilitary units. Authorities have also been collecting evidence and speaking to survivors to identify possible motives and networks behind the attack.

The incident is part of a disturbing pattern of violent clashes and gunmen attacks in Plateau State and the wider Middle Belt region, where disputes over land, ethnicity, and resources have fuelled cycles of violence for years. The toll in Plateau has often been underreported in national statistics, and experts say the long‑standing security challenge requires sustained and coordinated intervention from both federal and state security forces.

Religious and community leaders have condemned the attack in the strongest terms, calling on authorities to ensure justice and protect lives and property. A joint statement from JNI, the Jasawa Community Development Association, and local council representatives described the killings as “barbaric and senseless,” urging citizens to uphold peace and avoid retaliatory violence.

The attack, coming on Palm Sunday, has heightened inter‑communal tensions and reignited calls for more effective peace‑building mechanisms in Plateau State, where multiple communities have endured repeated outbreaks of violence over the past decade.

Plateau: JNI Confirms 4 Members Killed, 10 Missing as Death Toll Rises to 27

Loading

metro

NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

Published

on

NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a woman identified as Aisha Isah after allegedly recovering 266 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition from her along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

 

The suspect was reportedly arrested at a toll gate during a patrol operation by NDLEA operatives along the busy highway.

 

The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

 

According to the statement, the ammunition recovered from the woman consisted of 266 live rounds meant for an AK-47 rifle.

 

However, the NDLEA did not disclose where the suspect was travelling from, her intended destination or the circumstances surrounding the possession and transportation of the ammunition.

 

The arrest comes amid intensified security operations across the country, particularly along major highways and other routes suspected to be used for the movement of illicit substances and other prohibited items.

 

In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 68-year-old man, identified as Ifeanyi Egwolonwu, at Gwargwaje in Zaria, Kaduna State, along the Zaria-Kano Expressway.

 

The suspect was allegedly found with 2,770 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 100 ampoules of diazepam injection, 11,000 tablets of diazepam and 4,500 tablets of Exol-5.

 

The agency also reported several arrests and major drug seizures in different parts of the country as part of its ongoing operations against drug trafficking and related criminal activities.

 

The NDLEA has yet to provide further details about the investigation into the alleged ammunition possession by Aisha Isah.

 

NDLEA Arrests Woman With 266 Rounds of Live AK-47 Ammunition on Abuja-Kaduna Expressway

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

Published

on

Kwara Police Deny Shooting Motorcyclist at Oyun Bridge, Explain Viral Video

How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

 

Suspected bandits have reportedly ambushed and brutalised six members of the Iru Ekun Security Network in Bani community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

 

The attack occurred as the operatives were returning from a meeting in Kaiama town, shortly before reaching Bani community.

 

The chairman of the private security organisation, Isiak Olayiwola, disclosed details of the incident, describing the attack as heartbreaking and a disturbing development for community-based security efforts in the state.

 

According to Olayiwola, the six operatives were travelling back to Bani when between 30 and 40 motorcycles carrying armed men suddenly emerged and launched an attack on them.

 

He said the attackers were heavily armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, adding that the security operatives had only two firearms among them for personal protection.

 

Olayiwola explained that his men were not on a mission to confront any armed group but were simply returning from their meeting when they were ambushed.

 

He said, “They were returning from a meeting in Kaiama town to Bani when they were ambushed on their way back.”

 

The security chief added that the attackers opened fire on the operatives shortly before they entered the community.

 

He expressed gratitude that none of the six members was killed during the attack, attributing their survival to divine intervention.

 

A video of the incident, which surfaced on October 26, showed the captured operatives sitting on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs while armed men interrogated them.

 

In the footage, the captors repeatedly questioned the victims about their membership of the Iru Ekun Security Network and their activities in Bani community.

 

One of the armed men was heard challenging the operatives over what he described as their refusal to heed earlier warnings against associating with the security organisation or accommodating its members in the community.

 

One of the captives, identified as Jelili Alagbere, who was wearing an Iru Ekun-branded shirt, was questioned about his involvement in the organisation.

 

Another captive, Yusuf Alagbere, reportedly identified himself as a hunter, explaining that he had been invited by some individuals known as the Elere boys.

 

A third captive, identified as Rafiu, was also questioned about his identity and connection with the security outfit.

 

An elderly man among the captives, however, denied belonging to the organisation, insisting that he was not an Iru Ekun member.

 

Towards the end of the recording, the armed men reportedly asked the captives whether they would continue participating in the organisation’s activities. The victims were heard responding in the negative.

 

Olayiwola subsequently identified one of the suspected attackers as Sardauna, alleging that he was among those who participated in the shooting and personally recorded the interrogation.

 

He claimed that Sardauna was holding the phone and conducting the questioning while also opening fire on the security operatives.

 

The chairman said the video eventually found its way to the security organisation, although the person who recorded it was allegedly unaware that it would reach them.

 

Meanwhile, Olayiwola commended the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, for his efforts towards securing the rescue of the six operatives.

 

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the security situation in parts of Kwara State, particularly the dangers confronting local security groups involved in protecting vulnerable communities against armed attacks and kidnapping.

 

The development also highlights the growing risks faced by community-based security operatives operating in areas where heavily armed criminal groups reportedly maintain a presence.

 

How 40 Motorcycles-Riding Bandits Ambushed, Brutalised Six Kwara Security Operatives

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

Published

on

Two Grandfathers Among Five Arrested Over Alleged Motorcycle Theft Syndicate in Calabar

‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

The body of a 14-year-old boy, identified simply as Ogar, has been discovered without his head in a river at Yahe community in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The tragic discovery followed the teenager’s disappearance from home, leaving his family and residents of the community in shock.

According to a report by Vanguard, Ogar was last seen on Friday afternoon after returning from school. He reportedly left home shortly after having his meal but failed to return.

His mother, Agnes, said the family became worried when they could not find him and subsequently organised a search.

However, their search ended in tragedy on Saturday afternoon when the boy’s body was discovered in the Yahe River, about one kilometre from the community.

The grieving mother, who reportedly lost her husband three years ago, lamented that her son was her only source of hope.

“I don’t know who did this wicked act to me — my only source of hope after his father died three years ago. His body without the head was found at the river,” she said.

Agnes expressed confusion over how her son ended up in the river, explaining that the water was usually dirty and brownish at this time of the year and was not commonly used for swimming or washing clothes.

She also said she could not establish whether someone had taken the teenager to the river or how he got there.

A classmate of the deceased, identified as Jacob, reportedly said Ogar did not inform him or their other friends that he intended to go anywhere with anybody.

He added that he only learnt about the tragedy after news emerged that the teenager’s body had been discovered.

Meanwhile, a source at the Yahe Police Station confirmed that the incident was being investigated.

The police source, however, declined to provide further details, explaining that the Divisional Police Officer was away in Calabar.

“I can tell you we are investigating the matter,” the source said.

The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death, including the whereabouts of his missing head and the identity of those responsible, remain unclear.

Residents are awaiting further details from the police as investigations continue.

‘My Only Hope’: Mother Mourns Son Found Beheaded in Cross River

Loading

Continue Reading

Trending