Angwan Rukuba: Court Fixes July For Hearing In Terrorism Case
A Plateau State High Court in Jos has set July 1 and 2, 2026, for a definite hearing in the terrorism case originating from the Angwan Rukuba killings, which involves four defendants accused of terrorism and committing acts of terrorism.
The case was brought before Justice Gidelia Fomyon of Court 9 for a matter Management Conference (CMC), in accordance with Order 4 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2024 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
Philemon Daffi, the Attorney General of Plateau State, led the prosecution team for the Plateau people when the hearings began. Mustapha Shaba Ibrahim, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appeared with his team for the first and second defendants, M.M. Salihu for the third defendant, and M.B. Abdullahi for the fourth defendant.
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The defendants in this case are Isa Umar Ibrahim, Adamu Isa Alhassan, Auwalu Abubakar, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim.
Addressing the court, the prosecution informed Justice Fomyon that the case was scheduled for CMC and that the state was prepared to start. Daffi adopted the prosecution’s case management form, which was filed on May 17, 2026, and urged the court to release its report.
Counsel for the defendants also acknowledged their readiness for the conference and adopted their different responses to the case management forms previously filed with the court. Counsel for the first and second defendants informed the court that their responses were filed on May 6, while the third defendant filed on May 7, and the fourth defendant filed on May 6, 2026.
All defence lawyers subsequently urged the court to issue its report in compliance with applicable legal standards.
Justice Fomyon remarked that a case management report should normally be published within 60 days, but that given the circumstances of the case and the level of public interest it has generated, parties were allowed to identify convenient dates for hearings.
During the proceedings, the court noted that some of the defendants had ongoing cases contesting the court’s jurisdiction.
Defence counsel contended that their notices of preliminary objection should be taken and decided at the end of the trial. However, the prosecution opposed the action, demanding that jurisdictional issues be handled first to avoid a “journey in futility.”
Daffi further urged the court to consider the enormous public interest in the case and expedite the trial proceedings by ruling on preliminary objections before the substantive hearing begins.
Justice Fomyon ruled that case management had been completed in line with the law and deferred the case to May 26, 2026, for the court’s report on case management.
The court also set July 1 and 2, 2026, for a definitive hearing and witness appearances in the terrorism case.
