Plateau Govt Opposes Medical Treatment Request by Angwa Rukuba Massacre Suspect

The Plateau State Government on Thursday opposed an application by one of the four persons arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged links to the Angwa Rukuba massacre of late March and early April 2026, seeking permission to undergo medical treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.

At the resumed hearing before the Plateau State High Court in Jos, the prosecution argued that the request for medical treatment was a ploy by the defence to delay the accelerated hearing of the terrorism trial.

Counsel to the third defendant, M. I. Salihu, had moved a motion seeking an order directing the prosecution to allow his client visit the Jos University Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.

Responding, the prosecution, led by the Plateau State Director of Civil Litigation, Sabo Longji, filed a counter-affidavit urging the court, presided over by Justice Gedeliah Fwomyon, to dismiss the motion “in the interest of justice” for victims of the massacre.

Longji argued that the application was a delay tactic by the defence to buy time in the course of the trial of the terrorism suspects.

Justice Fwomyon reserved ruling on what he described as a contentious motion and directed counsel in the matter to leave their telephone numbers to enable the court communicate the date for the ruling. The case was subsequently adjourned until July 15, 2026.

The four defendants were arrested by the DSS following the Palm Sunday attack on Angwa Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, in which about 30 persons were killed.

The suspects, who include Adamu Isa Alhassan, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar (also known as Auwalu Dogo) and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (also known as Yaroro), were charged by the Plateau State Government alongside one Ado Ibrahim, who is said to be at large, with terrorism-related offences.