The brutal incident reportedly occurred late Friday night,

A wedding journey ended in bloodshed after a violent mob descended on a passenger bus in Nigeria’s Plateau State, killing at least a dozen people and injuring others.

The brutal incident reportedly occurred late Friday night, and authorities have since arrested 22 individuals in connection with the attack.

The group had departed from Zaria in Kaduna State, roughly 400 kilometers away, and lost their way en route to a wedding, eventually finding themselves in the volatile Mangu area. According to a statement released by Plateau police on Saturday, the passengers were ambushed and mobbed by locals.

While the police confirmed that 21 victims were rescued from what they described as an “angry mob,” they did not specify how many were killed. Nigerian police often report lower casualty figures than local authorities or eyewitnesses.

Human rights organization Amnesty International provided a grim update, saying “12 people were instantly killed and 11 others injured in the attack.”

“Authorities must ensure that the actual persons behind the horrific attack are brought to justice,” Amnesty said in a statement issued Saturday.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the violence and urged law enforcement to pursue justice swiftly, emphasizing the need for stronger preventive measures. “Law enforcement should ensure justice is served and implement measures to prevent any recurrence,” he stated.

The massacre adds to a growing list of tragedies in Nigeria’s north-central region, which has seen a surge in communal conflicts and attacks by armed groups. Just two weeks earlier, at least 100 people were killed in a deadly assault on a village in neighboring Benue State.