April 05, (THEWILL) — For the umpteenth time, the relative peace in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State was shattered on Sunday, March 9 as Angwan Rukuba Community came under attack by unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders. Reports claimed that no fewer than 30 people died during the attack.
Plateau has long experienced recurrent violence rooted in tensions over land, political representation and the contested distinction between “indigene” and “settler” communities. Often framed along ethnic and religious lines, particularly between predominantly Christian farming communities and largely Muslim pastoralist groups, these divisions have fuelled ongoing reprisal attacks between the communities. But the authorities have failed to break the cycle of violence, refraining from bringing perpetrators of serious crimes in these attacks to justice.
The state has had its fair share of riots, bombings and clashes between different ethnic and religious groups. It has seen conflicts involving various actors, including jihadist insurgents like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP.
In June 2018, ethnic violence in Jos resulted in the deaths of 86 people. According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 238 people were killed in a single weekend in June 2018, and 1,061 people lost their lives in the first three months of that year due to attacks linked to Fulani herders.
Reports indicate that Christian-majority vigilantes and local militias have engaged in reprisal killings, further escalating tensions. For example, in January 2024, a senior military officer and several soldiers were killed in Plateau State in an attack linked to an ongoing communal unrest.
In 2022, a bandit gang attacked several villages, leading to significant casualties. More recently, in December 2023, at least 200 people died in a series of new attacks. It is an endless cycle of violence. Analysts believe the Angwan Rukuba attack was premeditated, but not carried out for religious reasons. Blood-thirsty land grabbers may have been at work here.
The recent incident in Angwan Rukuba took everybody by surprise and spread fear around. Even Governor Caleb Muftwang admitted that the attackers took everybody, security and government officials alike. He promised to bring the perpetrators of the violence justice . There is a need to remind him that the situation is getting out of hand, such that it demands urgent and comprehensive action. Without stronger protection, genuine accountability and sustained efforts to address the root causes, more lives will be lost and the ongoing insecurity will continue.
