A High Court in Plateau State has ordered that suspects standing trial over the deadly Angwa-Rukuba killings remain in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), while also approving an accelerated hearing of the case.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, concerns several defendants accused of involvement in the March 2026 attack in the Angwa-Rukuba community of Jos North Local Government Area, where more than 30 people were reportedly killed.
The suspects — including Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, popularly called Yaroro — are facing charges bordering on terrorism and criminal conspiracy.
According to court filings by the Attorney General of Plateau State, Philemon Daffi, the defendants allegedly planned, financed and facilitated the attack carried out in Angwa-Rukuba and surrounding communities.
During proceedings, defence counsel Mustapha Shabbat objected to the continued detention of the accused persons in DSS custody, arguing against their remand in the security agency’s facility.
But in a brief ruling, the trial judge held that the court retains the authority to determine where suspects should be held pending trial, provided the detention facility is deemed secure.
“Considering the facts and circumstances of this case, this court has jurisdiction to remand the defendants in the custody of the DSS or a correctional centre, provided the place of custody is safe,” the judge ruled, while also directing that the defendants be granted access to their lawyers.
The court fixed May 26 for a report on the case management conference and adjourned substantive hearing to July 1 and 2.
The prosecution alleges that the accused conspired to carry out acts of terrorism across parts of Plateau State between 2025 and 2026, including coordinated attacks in Riyom and Jos South local government areas that resulted in multiple deaths.
The case is seen as one of the most closely watched security-related prosecutions in the state, amid renewed concerns over violent attacks and communal unrest in parts of central Nigeria.
