By Israel Adamu, Jos
At least 12 persons traveling from Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State were attacked and killed by hoodlums in the Mangun area of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, over the weekend.
Sources revealed that some of the travellers sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to hospitals in Mangu for urgent medical attention.
According to reports, over 18 travellers—comprising men, women, and children—were in an 18-seater bus belonging to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, when they were ambushed by armed assailants at about 8:00 p.m.
Investigations indicate the victims were en route to Qua’an Pan Local Government Area to attend a wedding ceremony when they lost their way and fell into the ambush. The bus driver, an ABU staff member, was also among those killed.
Confirming the incident, the Chief Imam of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Mangu, Sheikh Suleiman Haruna, told newsmen that the corpses had been deposited at the Mangu General Hospital.
“There were over 20 travellers in the bus. Currently, eight corpses have been recovered and deposited at the hospital. We’ve asked security personnel to help recover the remaining four bodies. The Chairman of Mangu LGA has been actively involved in managing the situation,” Sheikh Haruna said.
Ibrahim Umar, a survivor, recounted the ordeal: “We were heading to Qua’an Pan for our brother’s wedding when we missed the road. We asked some locals for directions, but before we knew it, they surrounded the vehicle and started attacking us with dangerous weapons. They killed the driver first, then others, and set the bus on fire with the corpses inside.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, confirmed awareness of the incident and stated that an official statement would be issued once investigations are concluded. “We are working to ascertain the full details of the situation before making any formal comments,” he said.
