‘They came as customers, then opened fire’ — residents recount Jos attack

Residents of Angwan Rukuba, the community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, where many were killed in an attack on Sunday, have described how the gunmen disguised as customers before launching the deadly attack that also left several persons injured.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

Multiple accounts obtained by PREMIUM TIMES indicate that the attackers arrived at a local beer parlour on Sunday evening, mixed with other patrons, before suddenly opening fire.

“They came like normal customers where people were drinking,” a resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said. “Then suddenly, they stood up and started shooting. People began to run in different directions. It was confusion everywhere.”

The witness said the attack occurred around 8 p.m., when visibility was low, worsening the panic as residents and visitors struggled to escape.

“People who were not even part of the area but passing through were hit. After shooting there, they moved through a nearby path, shooting anyone they saw,” he added.

According to the account, the gunmen fled through a route leading toward a hilly area around Mazahills, from where they escaped.

A separate account by Leman Francis, a senior lecturer at the University of Jos, who lives in the Old Legislative Quarters near the scene, corroborated the sequence of events. He said the attackers reportedly arrived in a vehicle and began shooting without provocation.

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

“Some men alighted from a vehicle and started shooting sporadically without any fight or provocation,” Mr Francis said. “They moved through the pathway leading to the Legislative Quarters and escaped through the back.”

He added that the number of casualties remains unclear as residents continue to assess the scale of the attack.

Video footage obtained by PREMIUM TIMES shows multiple lifeless bodies lying on the ground at the crime scene. In one location, more than 10 bodies could be counted, while several others appeared injured. The individual who shared the footage, and asked not to be named, said, “Many people were killed, and others sustained injuries,” describing the scene as distressing.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Plateau State Government imposed a 48-hour curfew on Jos North following the attack, which authorities said resulted in deaths and injuries. The violence also triggered reprisals in parts of the community, further escalating tensions.

READ ALSO: Plateau Attack: Unijos reschedules exams for students

The impact has extended beyond the immediate area. The University of Jos on Monday announced the postponement of examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, citing the security situation and tension around Angwan Rukuba. Some schools within and around the affected community were also shut as residents stayed indoors amid fears of further violence.

Efforts to obtain an official police response were unsuccessful. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Command, Alfred Alabo, declined to comment when contacted, asking for time to issue an official statement.

“We are very busy now. Wait for our official statement,” he said before ending the call. Subsequent calls were not answered.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities have yet to confirm the number of casualties or identify those responsible for the attack, deepening uncertainty in a city already on edge.