A mass burial for victims of the Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba, in Jos North, Plateau State, descended into protest on Tuesday as mourners blocked access to a church, demanding the release of three local youths detained in connection with the killings.
The disruption underscored mounting tensions in Plateau State, where recurring violence and delays in securing justice have fuelled deepening mistrust between communities and security authorities.
At least 33 people are now confirmed dead following the attack, which took place last Sunday when gunmen stormed Angwan Rukuba and nearby Gari Ya Waye, opening fire on residents. Several victims later died in the hospital after the initial toll of 28.
As seven coffins were brought to the church for burial rites, women and youths formed a human barricade at the entrance, chanting and waving leaves, insisting the funeral would not proceed until the detained youths were freed.
“We will not allow the burial to take place until our sons are released,” protesters declared, accusing security forces of targeting innocent residents instead of pursuing the perpetrators.
One demonstrator, Mathew Bulus, said those arrested by soldiers had no involvement in the killings. “They should go after the perpetrators and leave our youths alone. We will not let them be detained unfairly,” he said.
The standoff brought proceedings to a halt and heightened already fragile emotions among grieving families. It was only after confirmation that the three detainees had been released that calm was restored, prompting relief and jubilation among the crowd. The burial was subsequently allowed to continue.
A community member, Peter Makenzie, said the youths had been arrested by security personnel deployed to the area days after the attack.
At the funeral, the Plateau State government sought to reassure residents that efforts were under way to bring those responsible to justice. The governor’s chief of staff, Jeremiah Satmark, representing Caleb Mutfwang, said authorities were working “tirelessly” to uncover the motive behind the killings.
“This attack was meant to break our unity, but it will not succeed,” he said, confirming that some victims had died in the hospital, pushing the toll to 33.
Religious leaders used the moment to call for accountability. The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state, Rev Gomwalk Dunkan, warned that lasting peace would remain elusive without justice.
“There can be no peace without justice,” he said, urging authorities to confront the root causes of repeated attacks on communities.
Other officials, including the Plateau Peace Building Agency’s director general, Joyce Sanda, and former state assembly speaker Titus Alams, appealed for calm while calling on security agencies to strengthen their response.
The violence has drawn national attention. Bola Tinubu, who visited the state last week, condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to track down those responsible. He also approved the installation of more than 5,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras to bolster surveillance.
Governor Mutfwang had earlier described the killings as a “heinous and well-orchestrated” attempt to destabilise the state, vowing that those behind the assault would be brought to justice.
Yet Tuesday’s protest laid bare a persistent dilemma: even as authorities promise accountability, communities continue to question whether justice is being pursued in the right direction.
