By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has strongly condemned the brutal killing of 12 members of the Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, who were ambushed on their way to a wedding ceremony in Pau, Plateau State, on Friday, June 21.

In a statement jointly signed by Minority Leader Rep. Kingsley Chinda, Deputy Minority Leader Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Minority Whip Hon. Ali Isa, and Deputy Minority Whip Hon. George Ozodinobi, the lawmakers described the attack as “heinous,” “unconscionable,” and a “staggering tragedy.”

Among the victims were the groom’s father, younger brother, and uncle. The overall death toll from the attack stands at 31, leaving the community in deep mourning.

“We are deeply saddened and outraged by this heinous attack. The grief and anguish visited upon this family, and upon a community that had set out in joy, are both staggering and unconscionable,” the statement read.

The Caucus noted that survivors of the ambush recounted how the travelers, unarmed and bearing gifts and kola nuts, pleaded with their attackers, who ignored their appeals and unleashed violence.

“They were not combatants, nor were they party to any conflict. They bore no weapons—only goodwill. Yet they were met with suspicion, rage, and deadly violence. Such cruelty offends the conscience of every peace-loving Nigerian,” the lawmakers stated.

While commending the Nigerian Army for its prompt intervention, which reportedly prevented further casualties, the Caucus raised serious concerns over the systemic security lapses that continue to endanger lives.

“But we must ask: how did we get here? How did we become a nation where joyful travelers can be mistaken for threats and murdered in cold blood?” they queried.

The lawmakers also pointed to the ongoing violence in Mangu Local Government Area, where 19 more people were reportedly killed and several homes razed just a night before the ambush.

“In the absence of effective state protection, it is sadly understandable that local communities have resorted to desperate acts of self-defence. In such an atmosphere of fear and retribution, the line between justice and mob violence disappears—and innocent people, like the victims of Friday’s tragedy, are consumed in the chaos,” the statement said.

The Caucus urged both the Plateau State and Federal Governments to take immediate and coordinated action, including fostering inter-communal dialogue, activating early warning systems, and ensuring that perpetrators of violence are swiftly brought to justice.

They also called for a full-scale investigation into the killings and the implementation of long-term peacebuilding and reconciliation strategies in the region.

“To the grieving families of Basawa, we extend our deepest sympathies. This tragedy must be the turning point—not just in words, but in action,” the lawmakers concluded.