Garba Mohammed
The Plateau State Police Command has commenced the trial of 22 individuals accused of involvement in the gruesome killing of 13 wedding guests in the Mangun community, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The tragic incident occurred on June 20, 2025, when a 32-seater bus conveying wedding guests from Kaduna State was attacked by a violent mob at Mangun Market Square. The victims, travelling from Zaria en route to Kwa village in Qua’anpan Local Government Area for a wedding, lost their way and stumbled into the volatile area where they were ambushed.
While addressing journalists at the police command headquarters in Jos on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, confirmed that the suspects were apprehended following swift security operations.
“On June 20, 2025, we received a report at Mangu Division that a bus carrying passengers from Kaduna State was being attacked by an angry mob at Mangun market square,” Adesina explained. “Upon receipt of the report, I directed the Divisional Police Officer to mobilise a response team. With the support of other security agencies, they dispersed the mob and rescued 21 victims who were rushed to the hospital for treatment.”
According to him, investigations revealed that the victims were affiliated with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as indicated by the markings on the bus.
He noted that preliminary intelligence gathered showed that the attack was spontaneous, triggered by unidentified local actors who saw the travellers as intruders. The Commissioner of Police also disclosed that six suspects are still at large.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that due to the diligent and swift operations of our men, we have arrested 22 suspects, while six others remain at large,” he said. “Investigations have been concluded, and the arrested suspects will now face trial in accordance with the law.”
Adesina added that in the aftermath of the killings, he ordered the deployment of tactical police teams, operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, and the State Intelligence Bureau to the area for further intelligence gathering.
“On June 21, 2025, at about 7 a.m., I personally visited the crime scene along with my management team and other security agency heads to assess the situation and implement measures to prevent a recurrence,” he stated.
The commissioner described the attack as “evil and inhuman,” vowing that all perpetrators, regardless of their status or affiliations, would be made to face justice.
“I wish to use this opportunity to assure the good and peace-loving people of Plateau State that the command, under my leadership, is doing everything within our constitutional powers to ensure all those involved in this act are arrested and made to face the full weight of the law,” Adesina declared.
He also appealed to residents, especially youths, to desist from taking laws into their hands, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and promptly reporting any suspicious activity to security agencies.
The incident sparked outrage across Nigeria, with several civil society organisations and religious leaders condemning the act and calling for swift justice.
One survivor, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, recounted the horror: “We were just trying to find our way when people surrounded the bus and started throwing stones and attacking us. Some of us ran into nearby houses, others were not so lucky.”
Public reactions have ranged from deep sorrow to calls for enhanced community policing. In Kaduna, a relative of one of the deceased, Alhaji Sani Yusuf, called for calm but urged that justice must not be delayed. “We want peace, but peace without justice is a fragile peace. Let the killers be prosecuted without delay,” he said.
The Plateau incident is the latest in a series of communal and mob-related violence plaguing parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, often triggered by ethnic or religious tensions. Observers have pointed out that better road signage, mapping, and intelligence coordination might have prevented such a tragic mistake by the travellers.
Human rights lawyer, Barrister Esther Daniel, weighed in on the matter: “Mob justice must never be tolerated in a civil society. The speed with which the police have moved in this case is commendable, but we must see it through to proper convictions in court.”
As the trial begins, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on Plateau State, with many hoping that the outcome will not only bring justice for the victims but also send a clear message against mob violence.
