A survivor of the brutal mob attack in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State has shared how he escaped and helped soldiers rescue other victims.
Abas Rufa’i, one of 31 wedding guests attacked on Friday in the Mangun community, recounted his story during a visit by Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State to injured survivors at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
The group, made up of men, women, and children from Basawa-Anguwan Rimi in Zaria, Kaduna State, was travelling in an 18-seater Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, bus to Qua’an Pan for a wedding when they were attacked by a mob.
Rufa’i said the bus had stopped by the roadside to ask for directions. As he approached some people nearby, he sensed danger from their expressions and turned back. Then he heard one of them say, “We should kill them all and burn the vehicle.”
The mob quickly attacked, blocking the road with stones and logs, and set the bus on fire while passengers were still inside.
“I quietly slipped away, removed my gown so I wouldn’t be noticed, and escaped through a back path,” Rufa’i said.
He later found a motorcycle rider and asked to be taken to the nearest police station. Along the way, he saw a military checkpoint and approached the soldiers to report the attack.
The soldiers rushed to the scene, where they found the burning bus and managed to rescue 18 people with various injuries. Sadly, others had already been killed in the incident.
The attack has sparked outrage, and many are calling for justice and tighter security in Plateau and surrounding areas.
