Plateau State authorities have imposed a two-day curfew in Jos North Local Government Area after an overnight attack in the Angwan Rukuba district that left multiple people dead and many injured. The curfew is in force until the end of Tuesday as the state responds to what it described as a “tragic security incident.” Officials say security measures are being stepped up while investigations continue.
The state government, led by Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, condemned the assault as a “barbaric and unprovoked attack” on civilians and urged residents to remain calm, stay vigilant, and cooperate with security agencies. Governor Mutfwang visited affected families, saying he shared in their grief and that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Local authorities did not provide an official death toll. Reuters and AFP, citing separate local youth representatives, reported that at least 30 people were killed. Residents said gunmen entered the Gari Ya Waye community in Angwan Rukuba, which has ties to the University of Jos, and opened fire indiscriminately. AFP also reported retaliatory mob attacks in the aftermath. In response to the incident, the University of Jos canceled examinations for two days.
The Plateau State government said investigations are ongoing and that the attackers had not yet been identified. The assault comes against a backdrop of long-running tensions in Plateau between predominantly Muslim Fulani herders and mainly Christian farmers. Analysts note the drivers of violence include competition over land and grazing, population pressures, climate change, and the activity of criminal gangs, rather than religion alone.
The incident also sits within broader international concern over attacks on religious communities in Nigeria. The Trump administration previously re-designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” alleging failures to protect Christian communities, a characterization the Nigerian government disputes. Several high-profile kidnappings and attacks on schools and churches have drawn widespread attention in recent months.
Separately, AFP reported a mass shooting at a pre-wedding party in Kahir village, Kaduna state, the previous night, citing a United Nations security report. That report said “bandits attacked a wedding ceremony,” killing at least 13 people, injuring others, and abducting an unspecified number of guests. Kaduna state faces threats from both jihadist groups and armed criminal gangs known locally as bandits; security sources said police were aware of the attack and were awaiting more details from local officers.
Nigeria has struggled for years to contain violence in the north and central regions. Governments and the military have deployed operations with limited success. The United States has recently begun sending about 200 troops to provide specialist training and technical support to Nigerian forces fighting jihadist groups.
Authorities in Plateau and Kaduna say they are intensifying investigations and security patrols. Officials have appealed for calm and called on communities to cooperate with law enforcement as they work to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attacks.