At least 20 people have been confirmed dead following a fresh attack by gunmen in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, in what authorities describe as another wave of violence in the troubled region.
The attack occurred late Sunday night in the Gari Ya Waye community of Jos North Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly stormed the area on motorcycles and opened fire on residents.
Witnesses said the attackers shot indiscriminately, leaving multiple people dead and several others injured.
Local sources indicated that the death toll could rise, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that nearby communities may also have suffered casualties around the same period. Emergency responders and security operatives are still assessing the full extent of the damage.
In response to the killings, the Plateau State Government imposed a 48-hour curfew on Jos North in a bid to prevent further escalation of violence and restore order. Officials acknowledged the loss of lives and injuries but said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.
The latest incident underscores the persistent insecurity in Plateau State, part of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where violent clashes have become frequent. The region has long been plagued by conflicts often linked to disputes between herders and farming communities over land and grazing rights, alongside criminal attacks by armed groups.
Meanwhile, separate reports from local and humanitarian sources suggest that additional attacks carried out around the same timeframe, including during Palm Sunday, may have left dozens dead in Anguwa Rukuba and its environs
Security agencies have been deployed across affected areas, while residents remain on edge amid fears of further reprisals.
