A wedding celebration turned into a bloodbath on Friday as a mob attack in Plateau State claimed the lives of 12 travelers, including the father, younger brother, and uncle of the groom.
The victims were part of a wedding delegation journeying from Basawa in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State to Pau in Plateau for a marriage ceremony.
They were traveling in an 18-seater bus belonging to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, when they were ambushed by a violent mob.
The Chief Imam of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Mangu, Sheikh Suleiman Haruna, confirmed the casualties, disclosing that 12 persons were killed while 19 others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Mangu General Hospital.
Narrating the harrowing experience, one of the survivors, Ibrahim Umar, said the victims were all members of the same extended family and community.
He revealed that they were traveling with traditional marriage gifts, including kola nuts, when they were attacked.
“The father and younger brother of the groom were also killed in the incident. His uncle, too. We explained to them that we were not from the area and only came for a wedding ceremony, but they didn’t listen,” Umar recounted in anguish.
He added that the groom, a lecturer in Plateau State, had met his bride while working in the area, and the families had scheduled the ceremony for this week.
“We never imagined that a joyous event would end in such horror,” he said.
Umar, however, commended the Nigerian Army troops stationed in the vicinity for their swift intervention.
“If not for the soldiers, the story would have been much worse. Their quick response saved many lives,” he stated.
The Plateau State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
However, the development has sparked renewed concerns over the fragile security situation in Plateau, a state historically plagued by ethno-religious violence.
Civil society organizations and community leaders have since called for a thorough investigation into the killings and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
They also urged security agencies to intensify surveillance across volatile routes to forestall further tragedies.
The groom, whose identity is being withheld for safety reasons, has reportedly gone into mourning along with other surviving members of the bereaved family.
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