The absence of a defence counsel for the four suspects arraigned before the Plateau State High Court by the State government, on Thursday, over the March 28, 2026, massacre in the Angwan Rukuba community of Jos North Local Government Area, forced the presiding judge, Justice Gidelia Damulak Fomyong, to order their remand in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
The matter was then adjourned till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The four suspects, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo; Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro; and one other, were reportedly arrested by the DSS between April 3 and April 10, for their roles in the Palm Sunday attack in the Gari Yawaye community of Angwan Rukuba, where over 30 people were killed, and hundreds sustained different degrees of injuries.
The suspects were arraigned before Court 12 of the High Court in Jos, but the trial could not commence due to the absence of a defence counsel. The suspects are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences filed by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, on behalf of the government.
In the originating charge signed by Daffi, the suspects “conspired amongst themselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when they planned, organised, facilitated, aided and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba, which led to the death of over 30 persons.”
The offences, according to the Attorney-General, are contrary to Section 269 and punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017. But when the matter came up before Justice Fomyong, the suspects, who spoke through an interpreter, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable them to engage counsel of their choice.
State prosecution counsel and Solicitor-General, Joel Tagven, did not oppose the request but urged the court to remand the suspects in DSS custody for easy access and continuation of the investigation, a prayer the presiding judge granted and adjourned the matter till April 30 for arraignment.”
