The 12 victims of Friday night's mob attack in Mangun District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, have been laid to rest at the Hayi Muslim Cemetery in Mangu amid tight security on Saturday evening.
The deceased, including women and children, were part of a 31-member group from the Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State. They were traveling in an 18-seater Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria bus to Qua'an Pan Local Government Area for a wedding ceremony when they reportedly lost their way and stopped to ask for directions, leading to the fatal attack.
Religious Leaders Call for Peace
Sheikh Suleiman Haruna, who led the funeral prayers, urged residents to accept the incident as the will of Allah and refrain from seeking revenge. He commended security agencies and local leaders for their swift response to the crisis.
According to religious leaders present at the burial, the victims' families consented to having their loved ones buried in Plateau State to prevent potential tension in their home communities.
Government Response
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, condemned the killings as "barbaric and senseless" and called on security agencies to swiftly arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. He also urged his Plateau counterpart, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, to take decisive action in coordinating justice efforts.
Governor Sani assured Kaduna residents that the state government is supporting the victims' families and ensuring that the 11 survivors receive adequate medical care at Mangu General Hospital.
The Plateau State government has also condemned the attack and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
This incident adds to the concerning pattern of intercommunal violence in the region, with authorities now facing increased pressure to address security challenges in the area.
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