A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos has fixed August 11, 2026, to rule on an application challenging its jurisdiction to try four suspects accused of involvement in the Palm Sunday killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.
The court also reserved ruling until the same date on a separate application seeking the transfer of one of the defendants from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for medical treatment.
At Wednesday’s resumed hearing, counsel to the first and second defendants, M. I. Shaba (SAN), urged the court to decline jurisdiction, arguing that the defendants were facing terrorism-related charges which, under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Shaba contended that the nature of the charges rendered the State High Court incompetent to entertain the matter and urged the court to strike out the case.
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The prosecution, led by the Director of Civil Litigation in the Plateau State Ministry of Justice, Sabo Longji, opposed the application through a counter-affidavit. He maintained that the defendants were not being prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
According to Longji, the suspects were charged under the Plateau State Penal Code, making the Plateau State High Court the proper forum to hear the case. He therefore urged the court to dismiss the application and allow the trial to continue.
After listening to arguments from both sides, the trial judge, Justice Gedaliah Fwomyon, adjourned the matter until August 11, 2026, for rulings on both the jurisdictional challenge and the application seeking the transfer of one of the defendants to JUTH for medical treatment.
The Plateau State Government had earlier arraigned Adamu Isa Alhassan, Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro, and Ado Ibrahim, who is currently at large, over their alleged involvement in the attack.
The defendants are standing trial in connection with the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area, during which about 30 people were killed.
While the prosecution insists the matter is properly before the State High Court under the Plateau State Penal Code, the defence maintains that the case falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.