The Plateau State Police Command has arrested 22 suspects in connection with the gruesome killing of 12 wedding guests who were ambushed and burnt alive in a commercial bus in Mangu Local Government Area of the state.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday when the victims, who were traveling from Zaria in Kaduna State to Quan’pan Local Government Area in Plateau for a wedding ceremony, reportedly lost their way and inadvertently drove into Mangun community, where they were attacked by an angry mob.
The mob allegedly intercepted the commercial bus, dragged out the passengers, and set the vehicle ablaze with some of the occupants trapped inside.
Twelve people were confirmed dead, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Saturday, noting that swift intervention by security operatives prevented even more fatalities.
“Upon receipt of the intelligence, the Commissioner of Police in Plateau State directed the Divisional Police Officer of Mangu Division to immediately mobilise personnel to the scene,” Alabo stated.
He said the prompt response of the police and other security agencies led to the rescue of 21 passengers, seven of whom were injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment, while 14 were rescued unhurt.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were travelers who missed their way en route to a wedding ceremony in Quan’pan LGA.
Unfortunately, they were intercepted by a mob that acted unlawfully by setting the bus ablaze,” the statement added.
The police said that efforts are ongoing to track down other suspects and that those in custody would be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.
President Bola Tinubu, who condemned the attack, had earlier directed the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, to ensure swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent recurrence.
The incident has reignited nationwide concerns over rising mob justice and ethno-religious tensions in Plateau, a state with a long history of communal violence.
Meanwhile, civil society organisations and human rights groups have called for an independent probe into the circumstances surrounding the attack and the role of community leaders in curbing violent extremism.
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