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A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has fixed August 11, 2026, to rule on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction to hear the trial of four suspects charged in connection with the Angwan Rukuba killings.
The court will also decide on the same date an application seeking the transfer of one of the defendants from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for medical treatment.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the first and second defendants, M.I. Shaba (SAN), argued that the Plateau State High Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
He maintained that the charges against his clients relate to terrorism offences, which, according to him, fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Counsel for the Plateau State Government, Sabo Longji, Director of Civil Litigation in the Ministry of Justice, opposed the application and urged the court to dismiss the objection.
Longji relied on a counter-affidavit filed by the state government, insisting that the case was properly instituted before the Plateau State High Court.
After listening to arguments from both parties, the presiding judge, Justice Gedaliah Fwomyon, reserved ruling on the jurisdictional challenge and the application for the defendant’s medical transfer until August 11, 2026.
The state government had earlier arraigned Adamu Isa Alhassan, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar (Auwalu Dogo), Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (Yaroro) and Ado Ibrahim, who is currently at large, over their alleged involvement in the deadly attack.
The defendants are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, terrorism-related offences, illegal possession of firearms and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.
The charges stem from the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, where about 30 people were reportedly killed, an incident that sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for justice.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to August 11, 2026, for ruling on the pending applications before the commencement of substantive proceedings.
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