Plateau State Crisis Deepens as Killings Spread Across Northern Nigeria, Tinubu Condemns Attacks

A deadly wave of violence swept across Nigeria’s Middle Belt this week.Fresh attacks hit Angwan Rukuba in Jos, Plateau State, hours after President Bola Tinubu condemned the violence and demanded actionhed and called for urgent security action

Armed gunmen attacked the Jos community in the early morning hours, with residents describing scenes of chaos as vehicles were attacked and homes targeted. The assault came despite a curfew that authorities had partially relaxed following earlier unrest in the city

Separately, gunmen attacked a wedding in Kahir village, Kagarko, Kaduna State. They killed and kidnapped guests, shocking a region used to violence. Targeting a wedding fueled public anger across the country.

The Northern Democratic Coalition condemned the rising violence in Plateau, Taraba, and Kaduna. It said the attacks show the Nigerian state is failing to protect civilians. The NDC urged the government to declare a security emergency and send more forces under a single command.

In a statement from the State House in Abuja, Tinubu called the Jos attack “barbaric and cowardly.” He ordered security and intelligence agencies to arrest the attackers and take all steps to restore peace.

However, opposition politicians and community leaders in the affected areas said strong statements from Abuja were no longer sufficient. Several traditional rulers in Plateau State held an emergency meeting this week and resolved to send a formal delegation to the National Assembly demanding legislative action on what they described as a state-sponsored failure of protection.

The security crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has killed hundreds in the first quarter of 2026. Land disputes, ethnic tensions, and armed groups acting with little fear drive the violence. With the 2027 elections near, analysts warn the crisis is now also political