Hundreds of angry residents in Plateau State defied a state-imposed curfew on Monday to protest a deadly attack that left several people dead in Jos North Local Government Area.
The demonstration took place in Anguwan Rukuba, the community hit by gunmen on Sunday evening. Videos shared on social media showed residents chanting and demanding immediate government action to stop the recurring violence.
Some protesters accused the authorities of failing to prevent repeated attacks in the state. “People are outside because of yesterday’s attack. They chased away the security men because they are not helping,” one resident said. He added that the attackers struck during a power outage, forcing people to flee for their lives.
“Yesterday around 7 to 8 pm, there was no light, and the attackers were shooting rapidly. Many people had to run for their lives,” he said.
The protest was later broken up when police moved in, with officers reportedly preparing to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The attack on Sunday saw suspected gunmen, dressed in military uniforms, storm Anguwan Rukuba at about 8 pm, opening fire in a busy market area. Several people were injured, according to eyewitnesses. Resident Nyam Isaac said, “They shot randomly at people in the market. Many were injured.”
The incident has sparked outrage on social media. One user, Kaptain Kush, wrote: “Jos is under curfew tonight. Gunmen on motorcycles shot through a student community and killed at least 10 people. Over 40 dead in Plateau since Thursday.” Another, Oyindamola, questioned the government’s response, asking, “Why is this allowed to happen to citizens?”
In response, the Plateau State Government imposed a 48-hour curfew across Jos North Local Government Area. Commissioner for Information Joyce Lohya Ramnap confirmed the curfew, while Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the attack as “barbaric and unprovoked” and assured residents that security agencies were working to apprehend those responsible.
If you want, I can also make a shorter, punchier version for quick news reads that captures the outrage and chaos in just a few paragraphs. Do you want me to do that?
