Gunmen Kill Multiple Residents in Anguwan Rukuba, Plateau State Amid Rising Bandit Attacks
Tension escalated in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Sunday, March 29, 2026, following a deadly shooting that claimed multiple lives.
Reports indicate that unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire in the evening, targeting local youths near the Anguwan Rukuba junction. Eyewitnesses said residents fled in panic as the attackers fired indiscriminately.
A resident, speaking anonymously, told reporters: “The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions.”
In the aftermath of the attack, enraged youths reportedly blocked major roads, raising fears of further unrest in the community.
Authorities, including Plateau State Commissioner of Police Bassey Ewah and the Police Public Relations Officer, had not provided official confirmation at the time of reporting.
This latest attack comes weeks after a devastating ambush in Kanam Local Government Area, which left at least 20 security personnel and vigilantes dead. The Kanam Development Association (KADA) reported that among the victims were 12 security operatives, including two senior military officers, and eight vigilantes.
According to KADA, the patrol team was ambushed around 2:00 PM while moving between Garga, Kyaram, and Gyambau communities by hundreds of heavily armed bandits. The association described the loss as “deeply painful and unacceptable,” emphasizing that the operatives died defending communities long plagued by violence.
Following the Kanam attack, bandits reportedly invaded Kyaram community, looting property and rustling cattle. KADA warned that such attacks remain a persistent threat, noting that border communities in the area have endured recurring kidnappings, raids, and cattle rustling over the past three to four years.
This series of violent incidents underscores the urgent need for increased security measures to protect residents in Plateau State’s vulnerable communities.