What should have been another quiet Sunday evening at Gari Ya Waye, Angwan Rukuba community, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, turned into a night of terror that survivors say will haunt them for years to come.

For residents like Jerry Bala, an artisan in the Gari Ya Waye area, the day began routinely. People went about their daily activities after returning from church, visiting neighbours, getting prepared for the next day. There was no sign of the violence that would erupt later that evening.

At about 7:30 pm, the calm was broken by the sound of gunfire. At first, many residents dismissed it as a routine security operation, recalling a recent visit by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. But as the shooting intensified, it became clear that something far more sinister was unfolding.

Gunmen had invaded the community, firing indiscriminately at residents. By the time the attack subsided, at least 28 people were feared dead, with several others critically injured. While official figures initially placed the death toll slightly lower, residents insist the number rose as some victims later died in hospital.

In the aftermath, confusion and grief gripped the community as families searched desperately for missing relatives.

Samson Bala was among those thrown into panic. He had been at his workplace at Dogon Dutse, near Angwan Rukuba when the shooting began. Speaking on behalf of his younger brother, Jerry, who now lies critically ill, Samson recalled the moment fear took hold.

“We first thought it might be a routine operation from NDLEA,” he said. “But when the gunshots continued, we knew something was wrong.”

Driven by concern, he made his way towards Angwan Rukuba in search of his brother and what he encountered was a scene of devastation.

“I saw bodies on the ground. Some were people I knew, others I didn’t,” he said. “When I couldn’t find my brother, I came back the next day and was told he had been taken to hospital.”

Jerry had been shot in the head and moved between medical facilities before his family finally located him. As he battles for his life, his family clings to hope.

The attack has left many survivors traumatised, including 26-year-old Dorathy Adams, whose words now echo the pain of the community.

“The people I was running with are gone,” she said.

Dorathy had been at the Angwan Rukuba market when the shooting began. Like others, she initially mistook the gunfire for an NDLEA operation. Within moments, panic spread as people began to flee.

“We started running, but they were shooting at us,” she recounted. “A bullet passed close to my neck and I fell.” In that split second, she made a decision that saved her life. “I just lay there and didn’t move. They thought I was dead,” she said.

According to her, some victims were shot more than once. It was only after the attackers had left and the search for survivors began that she found the courage to get up and run home.

Beyond Angwan Rukuba, the violence had ripple effects.

Mohammed Habib, who was in a nearby area when he heard the gunshots, tried to escape the unfolding danger. But his attempt to flee led him into another life-threatening encounter.

Passing through a shortcut, he was accosted by a group of young men who threatened him with knives.

“They told me to come closer and said they would send me on an errand,” he said from his hospital bed. “Before I could escape, they attacked me.”

He sustained severe head injuries and now lies in critical condition. He mentioned the name of one of his alleged attackers saying he had targeted him before to collect his money and phone.

Among those who lost their lives was an elderly woman, Ngo Chundung, a familiar face in the community known for selling kwadon wake (local bean salad). She had gone out that evening to earn her daily income, unaware it would be her last.

A neighbour, Charity Agada described her as a hardworking woman who depended on her trade for survival.

“She went out to sell as she always does,” the neighbour said. “Her body was later found among the victims. It is heartbreaking.”

In response to the killings, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, described the attack as “barbaric and unprovoked” and imposed a 48-hour curfew on Jos North in a bid to restore calm.

However, tensions lingered even after the curfew was relaxed, with incidents of unrest reported in a nearby community of Nassarawa Gwong where places of worship were targeted. Security agencies and community leaders had to intervene to prevent further escalation.

For many residents, the tragedy is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern of violence that has plagued the State for years.

Commenting on the situation, Kefas Lamak, a Plateau indigene and academic based in the USA, said the attack reflects deeper failures in the country’s security architecture.