The Plateau State Police Command has arraigned 22 suspects in connection with the gruesome killing of wedding-bound travellers in Mangun community, Mangu Local Government Area of the state.
The arraignment took place on Thursday at the State High Court in Jos, following the deadly attack that left 13 passengers dead and several others injured.
The victims, who were mostly family members and friends, were on their way from Basawa in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State to attend a wedding ceremony in Qua’an Pan LGA when they were ambushed and attacked by suspected mobs.
The travellers, including men, women, and children, were travelling in an 18-seater bus when the assailants struck.
At the court session, the prosecuting counsel, S.I. Ikutanwa, informed the court that the suspects were facing a four-count charge related to the killings and urged the court to allow the accused to take their plea.
However, the defense counsel, Garba Pwol, objected to the plea-taking, raising concerns that two of the 22 suspects were minors aged 13 and 17.
He argued that subjecting the underage suspects to adult criminal proceedings would be a violation of legal procedures and asked for time to file a formal objection.
In response, the prosecution agreed that the minors should be excluded from the charges, proposing an amendment that would allow the remaining 20 adult suspects to proceed with their plea.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Boniface Ngyon ruled that the court would not take the suspects’ plea until the charges had been amended.
He directed the prosecuting counsel to revise the charge sheet and struck out the names of the minors from the list of accused persons.
Justice Ngyon ordered that all the suspects be remanded in police custody and adjourned the case till Friday, July 11, 2025, for the amended charges to be presented and the plea taken.
The attack, which drew national outrage, has heightened concerns over persistent violence in Plateau State, especially in areas with recurring communal clashes. Rights groups and community leaders have continued to call for swift justice for the victims and stronger security presence in flashpoint zones.
Authorities have assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that no perpetrator would be shielded from justice.
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