Tension escalated in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Tuesday as grieving women disrupted the mass burial of victims of the recent Palm Sunday attack, insisting on the release of youths arrested in connection with the incident.
The protest, which stalled funeral rites for at least 28 victims, saw women and some youths barricade the entrance of a church where the ceremony was scheduled, preventing mourners and clergy from gaining access.
Wielding leaves and chanting solidarity songs, the demonstrators declared that the burial would not proceed unless security agencies freed those they described as wrongly detained community members.
“We will not allow the burial until our sons are released,” one of the protesters, Rhoda Aliyu, said, echoing the sentiment of the aggrieved group.
Another protester, Mathew Bulus, maintained that those arrested had no link to the killings, urging authorities to focus on apprehending the real perpetrators instead of targeting innocent youths.
The development heightened anxiety in the community, especially as bodies of some of the victims had already been conveyed to the venue ahead of the planned mass interment.
Residents disclosed that the protest was triggered by the arrest of three youths by military operatives following the deadly assault, with demonstrators demanding their unconditional release as a precondition for proceeding with the burial.
The attack, carried out on Palm Sunday night, saw gunmen invade Angwan Rukuba and nearby Gari Ya Waye around 8 p.m., opening fire on residents and leaving over 28 persons dead, while several others sustained injuries.
Following the incident, President Bola Tinubu visited the state, where he sympathised with bereaved families and directed security agencies to track down and prosecute those behind the killings.
He also approved the deployment of over 5,000 AI-powered CCTV cameras to strengthen surveillance across Plateau.
Similarly, Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the attack, describing it as a calculated attempt to destabilise the state.
He assured residents that perpetrators would be brought to justice and outlined steps taken by his administration to bolster security, including convening an emergency Security Council meeting.
The governor further commended residents for maintaining calm despite the provocation and urged community leaders and stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to restore peace.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official response regarding the arrests or the disruption of the burial ceremony.