Hearing on Angwan Rukuba Massacre: Judge Sets August 11 to Decide on Authority and Health-Related Petition

A Plateau State High Court in Jos has scheduled August 11, 2026, to deliver its verdict on an application questioning its authority to try four individuals implicated in the Angwan Rukuba killings.

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The same date has been set for a ruling on a separate application seeking to transfer one of the defendants from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for medical attention.

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During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Mr. M. I. Shaba, SAN, counsel to the first and second defendants, petitioned the court to relinquish jurisdiction, citing that the charges against his clients were related to terrorism and thus fell under the Federal High Court's purview.

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Shaba's argument was grounded in the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which he claimed grants the Federal High Court exclusive jurisdiction over terrorism-related matters.

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The prosecution, led by Mr. Sabo Longji, Director of Civil Litigation in the Plateau State Ministry of Justice, countered the application through a counter-affidavit, asserting that the defendants were being prosecuted under the Plateau State Penal Code.

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Longji's argument was that the State High Court was competent to hear the case, as the defendants were not being charged under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

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After considering submissions from both parties, trial judge Justice Gedaliah Fwomyon adjourned the case until August 11 for rulings on the jurisdictional challenge and the medical transfer application.

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The Plateau State Government had previously arraigned Adamu Isa Alhassan, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar (also known as Auwalu Dogo), and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (also known as Yaroro), alongside the currently at-large Ado Ibrahim, over their alleged involvement in the attack.

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The defendants face charges connected to the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 30 people.

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The state government has accused the suspects of terrorism-related offences in connection with the incident, while the defence team maintains that the case should be tried by the Federal High Court, citing the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.