Twelve members of a wedding convoy from Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, have been brutally murdered by a mob in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State after reportedly taking a wrong route and stopping to ask for directions. The horrifying incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025.
The victims, including men, women, and children, were traveling in an 18-seater bus reportedly owned by Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, en route to Qua’an Pan LGA for a wedding ceremony. According to survivors, they were unfamiliar with the terrain and had stopped briefly to seek directions when they were suddenly surrounded and attacked by an irate mob.
One survivor, Ibrahim Umar, recounted the gruesome moment the assailants struck. “They killed the driver first, then started attacking everyone with machetes, sticks, and other weapons. They set the bus on fire, and some of our people were burned inside,” he told journalists, still in shock.
At least 11 survivors with various degrees of injuries are being treated at a hospital in Mangu. Several others remain unaccounted for as search and rescue efforts continue. The Chief Imam of JIBWIS, Sheikh Suleiman Haruna, confirmed that eight bodies had been recovered and deposited at Mangu General Hospital. He commended the prompt response of Mangu LGA chairman and local security agencies in stabilizing the situation.
The tragedy has sparked renewed fears over escalating communal tensions in Plateau State, where repeated clashes and reprisal killings have plagued the region in recent years. While the motive behind this particular mob action remains unclear, many locals believe the attack may have been fueled by ethnic or religious suspicion in the already volatile region.
The Plateau State Police Command, through its spokesperson DSP Alfred Alabo, acknowledged awareness of the incident and said a formal investigation has commenced. He assured the public that those behind the killings would be tracked down and brought to justice.
As families of the victims mourn the loss of their loved ones who had set out to celebrate a joyous occasion, community leaders and civil society groups are calling for stronger protection for travelers and more decisive action to curb mob violence across Nigeria.
