The travellers, including men, women, and children, had departed from Basawa in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State in an 18-seater bus when they came under attack around 8pm. 

Tragedy struck in Plateau State on Friday evening when a group of armed youths ambushed a commercial bus belonging to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, killing at least 12 passengers and injuring 19 others.

The incident, which occurred around Kyarang junction in Manjul community of Mangu Local Government Area, involved 31 passengers, who were heading to Qua’an Pan LGA for a wedding ceremony.

The travellers, including men, women, and children, had departed from Basawa in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State in an 18-seater bus when they came under attack around 8pm. 

According to survivors, the bus had missed its route and stopped to ask for directions when they were suddenly surrounded and attacked by a violent mob.

“We were heading to Qua’an Pan to attend a wedding ceremony of our brother when we missed the road because we didn’t know it,” one survivor, Ibrahim Umar, told Daily Trust. 

“We stopped and asked some people for directions, but before we knew it, they surrounded the vehicle, shouting that we should be killed. They started beating and attacking us with dangerous weapons. The mob killed the driver first and then attacked others. They burned the bus with the corpses inside. We are now in the hospital, receiving care.”

A security source also confirmed the gruesome attack, stating that several people were brutally murdered on the spot by suspected youths of Mangun Village in Mangu LGA. 

According to the source, the attack happened around 9:47pm. The vehicle, intercepted near the outskirts of the town, was set ablaze after the passengers were attacked.

“Seven of the passengers were killed on the spot, their lives extinguished in a flash. One other traveller was left in critical condition, while six more suffered various degrees of injuries,” he said. 

“The charred remains of the bus now stand as a grim symbol of senseless destruction.”

However, 14 other passengers were rescued by local leaders who intervened in time, likely preventing a wider massacre.

The Mangu Local Government Council Chairman, Emmanuel Bala, confirmed the incident and said the attack was “mistakenly carried out.”

“Due to the earlier incident where people were attacked, members of the Manjul community had received report that bandits might strike again. The youths were therefore on the alert. Unfortunately, some travellers heading to Qua’an Pan mistakenly took the road to Mangu and were attacked by a mob,” Bala said.

He added that eight people were confirmed dead at the scene, while the deceased and injured were taken to the General Hospital in Mangu. “It is unfortunate that innocent people—Hausa Muslims—were attacked and killed,” Bala lamented.

The Chief Imam of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Suleiman Haruna, also confirmed the killings and told Daily Trust that the bodies have been deposited at the Mangu General Hospital. 

“There were 31 travelers in the bus. Now we have eight corpses in the hospitals. We have asked the security personnel to help recover the remaining four bodies,” he said.

All efforts made by SaharaReporters to get the reaction of the Spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Altau did not succeed. 

He declined repeated calls made to him on Saturday and has yet to respond to a follow-up text message sent to him.