The death toll of the Friday’s attack on the wedding travellers at Mangun community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State has risen to 13.
In addition to the eight corpses that were recovered on Saturday, the bodies of the four travellers earlier declared missing were said to be recovered yesterday; while one of those injured was also confirmed dead.
The victims, comprising 32 men, women and children, were travelling in an 18-seater bus belonging to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, to Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau when they were attacked.
They were said to be travelling to attend a wedding ceremony when they ran into the assailants around 8pm. The attackers also reportedly set ablaze the bus conveying them.
Sheik Suleiman Haruna, Chief Imam of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah and chairman of the Muslim Consultative Forum in Mangun, told Daily Trust that the bodies of the four missing travellers were recovered yesterday.
He said one of the 19 injured travellers later died at the Mangu General Hospital, taking the death toll to 13.
Nine of the victims were buried amid tears on Saturday evening at Hayi Burial Ground, Mangun; while the bodies recovered yesterday were interred in Qua’an Pan LGA.
Religious leaders at Mangu said the victims’ relatives gave their consent for the burial in Plateau to avoid tension in their hometowns.
Sheikh Haruna, who led the funeral, urged residents to remain calm and exercise patience.
He said: “We are urging both the state and federal governments to intervene and deal decisively with the criminals that perpetrated this act. This will serve as a deterrent to others.
“We are not happy indeed. Every person is entitled to practice his/her religion. Here, we agreed to live peacefully with our own Christian brothers and sisters within our community. Thank God, we have calmed everyone and that is why I am happy.”
Our correspondent observed that military and police personnel were yesterday stationed at strategic locations in Jos, Plateau State Capital, including the terminus, the Ahmadu Bello Way and the Bauchi Junction.
Haruna Idris, a brother to the groom, also sought compensation for the bereaved families.
He said: “I was here when the bus left the village with 32 people on board, five of them were female and the remaining male.
“The first day we received the information through a telephone call, they told us only nine people died and later 11. From then on, they stopped communicating with us to avoid raising tension. We have taken incident as the will of Allah.”
Another family member of the victims, Haruna Abdullahi, pleaded with the government to hasten the transfer of the injured persons to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, “to enable relatives to attend to them effectively.”
Police arrest 22
The spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, in a statement, said 22 suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack.
The statement read, “On June 20th, 2025, at about 09:47 pm, the Plateau State Police Command received credible intelligence revealing that a bus carrying some passengers from Zaria, Kaduna State, was attacked by an angry mob in Mangun Village, Mangu Local Government Area.
“Upon receipt of this intelligence, the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, immediately directed the Divisional Police Officer, Mangu Division, to mobilise men and swiftly race to the scene. On reaching the scene, our men, in collaboration with other security agencies, quickly dispersed the angry mob and rescued 21 victims and rushed them to the hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.
“Upon conducting our preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the victims were travellers from Zaria, Kaduna State, who were in transit to Qua’an Pan LGA to attend a wedding ceremony when they lost their way; their vehicle was illegally arrested by the angry mob and set ablaze. As a result of this unfortunate incident, some of the passengers lost their lives, while seven persons sustained varying degrees of injuries, the state said.”
The statement quoted the CP as asking all citizens, especially the youth, to avoid taking the law into their hands and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or any other security agency.
Tinubu, govs ask security agencies to deal with killers
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, described the attack as “heinous, unacceptable and barbaric.”
He directed the police to work with other security and intelligence agencies to ensure those responsible for the attack are arrested and brought to book.
While calling for calm, the president promised not to allow the act to go unpunished.
“The government of Plateau State must take decisive action in handling these vicious cycles of violence. The state government must work with security agents to get to the root of this recent incident and use it as a deterrent against future occurrences.
“Freedom of movement by all citizens is non-negotiable. We will not tolerate any attempt by anyone or group of people to curtail that fundamental freedom through acts of extreme violence and fear,” he said.
The president commiserated with the victims’ families and the people and government of Kaduna State.
Similarly, the chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, in a statement his spokesman, Ismaila Misilli, described the incident as a barbaric and cowardly act that has no place in a civilised society.
He condoled with the government and people of Kaduna State, particularly, the bereaved families.
The governor commended authorities in Plateau State and security agencies for their quick response after the incident.
“The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be arrested and brought to justice without delay. This is not just about accountability; it is about restoring faith in the rule of law and protecting the rights of every Nigerian citizen,” he added.
He appealed to residents of Plateau, Kaduna and neighbouring states to remain calm and law-abiding, urging against any form of reprisal.
“Let us not allow the actions of a few to divide our communities or ignite further violence. I urge everyone to exercise restraint and patience as authorities work to ensure justice is served,” Yahaya said.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, in a statement by his spokesman, Gyang Bere, charged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, ensure that justice is served and implement proactive measures to prevent any recurrence.
Mutfwang said the prolonged attacks in the area did not justify such a “senseless” act against innocent commuters.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State also called on security agencies to fish out and bring the assailants to justice.
“I also call on the Plateau State governor, His Excellency, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, to use this unfortunate incident to make a bold statement. He must take full charge of the situation and direct the operations of the security agencies until the murderers are brought to justice.
“I will personally follow up on the progress made in the investigations and field operations in search of the criminals. We must send a clear signal that impunity will no longer be tolerated.”
He, however, urged the citizens of Kaduna to remain calm as all hands are on deck to ensure justice for the murdered citizens.
The secretary of the Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Dr Salim Musa Umar, at a press conference on Saturday, condemned the attack and urged residents across the state to remain calm.
He urged the government to “take immediate responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of travellers in the state. Government should pay compensation to the victims’ families.”
Some past attacks on travellers in Plateau
On August 14, 2021, 25 travellers were reportedly ambushed and killed and 14 others injured by suspected hoodlums around 10:30 am on the Gada-Biyu–Rukuba Road in Jos North LGA of Plateau State. They victims were part of a convoy of five buses heading to Ondo State from Bauchi State after visiting Sheik Dahiru Usman, an Islamic cleric.
On September 30, 2018, Major General Idris Alkali, a retired Chief of Administration (Army), was declared missing while traveling from Abuja to Bauchi in the Dura-Du community of Jos South LGA. On October 31, 2018, the army explained how it found his body in a well around Guchwet village, Shen District, Jos South LGA, after weeks of intense investigations.
On February 16, 2022, four travellers were killed and several others injured in an attack at Bida Bidi Junction in Jos North LGA. They were said to be heading from Kano to Nasarawa State when hoodlums blocked the popular Zaria Road Highway and attacked them.
While Alkali’s case is still lingering in court; nothing is heard about the killings of travellers at Gada Biyu in Jos.
DAILY TRUST.
