The Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has reserved ruling on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction in the trial of suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the Angwa Rukuba killings of March and April 2026.
At the resumed hearing, the Plateau State Director of Civil Litigation, Sabo Longji, informed the court that two of the defendants had filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to strike out the charges against them on jurisdictional grounds.
The prosecution told the court, presided over by Justice Gedeliah Fwomyon, that it had filed a counter-affidavit dated June 29, 2026, and served it on the defendants.
Counsel to the defendants, led by M. I. Shaba (SAN), alongside M. I. Salihu and S. M. Danlami, argued that the prosecution’s counter-affidavit was filed out of time.
The prosecution subsequently applied for an extension of time to regularise the filing, and the application was granted by the court.
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Justice Fwomyon adjourned the matter to July 2, 2026, for hearing on the preliminary objection, while the substantive trial was fixed for July 15, 2026.
The court also ordered that the defendants remain in the custody of the DSS pending further proceedings.
The suspects are standing trial over the Palm Sunday attack on Angwa Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, during which about 30 people were killed.
The Plateau State Government charged the four defendants, alongside one Ado Ibrahim, who remains at large, with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.
