The Pathfinder
Thursday June 25, 2025
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The Muslim Forum of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has condemned the lynching of 31 Muslim passengers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday, June 20, 2025 and demanded for justice.
The passengers, traveling in an 18-seater bus marked “ABU-Zaria,” were reportedly ambushed while asking for directions in the troubled area.
According to the Forum’s statement, twelve victims were killed instantly and burned along with the vehicle, while the remaining 18 sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical care under military protection.
Among those killed was a Muslim staff member from ABU’s Department of Physics, who was ferrying relatives and community members to a wedding.
Describing the incident as “savagery and barbarism,” the Forum denounced it as part of a broader pattern of impunity-fueled violence targeting Muslims in Plateau State. They criticized the inaction of government officials, warning that failure to punish the perpetrators may lead to wider retaliatory violence.
The Forum sharply rebuked the Chairman of Mangu LGA, Mr. Emmanuel Bala, for allegedly downplaying the attack as a “case of mistaken identity.” The statement also cited alarming celebratory reactions to the killings on social media, particularly a comment by Kefas Gyang Pam that read “good job…”, as evidence that the act was deliberate and premeditated.
In its detailed statement, the Muslim Forum issued a five-point demand:
Independent, transparent investigations and prosecutions must follow, with visible sanctions strong enough to deter future atrocities.
Immediate compensation for the deceased, injured, and property loss by the Mangu LGA, Plateau State Government, and the Federal Government.
Proactive security measures to prevent similar attacks in Plateau and other flashpoints across Nigeria.
Engagement by Sabon Gari LGA authorities in Kaduna State to pursue justice and ensure all medical bills are paid.
Action-oriented follow-up on Governor Uba Sani’s condemnation, demanding it be translated into pressure on the Plateau State Government for justice.
The Forum ended with a solemn warning that Muslim patience is nearing its limit, emphasizing that only swift and meaningful justice can prevent further destabilization.
“THE REPEATED ATTACKS ON DEFENSELESS MUSLIMS AND THE WANTON DESTRUCTION OF THEIR PROPERTY—BY FELLOW NIGERIANS UNDER ANY GUISE—ARE NOT ONLY INHUMAN AND BARBARIC BUT ALSO PROVOCATIVELY UNFORGIVABLE.”
Prayers were offered for the souls of the deceased, healing for the injured, and strength for the bereaved.
Below is the full unedited press statement issued by the ABU Zaria Muslim Forum:
PRESS RELEASE ON THE HORRIFIC LYNCHING OF 31 MUSLIM
PASSENGERS ABOARD AN A.B.U. BUS IN MANGU, PLATEAU STATE
It is with profound shock that the Muslim Forum of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, responds to the crude mayhem, madness, and wanton destruction of lives and property involving Muslim commuters in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday, 20th June
2025.
The unsuspecting travelers, on board an 18-seater bus marked “ABU-Zaria,” had merely
stopped to ask for directions when their assailants launched a brutal and unprovoked attack.
We have reliably gathered that 12 of the victims were instantly killed and burned along with the bus, while the remaining 18 sustained varying degrees of injuries. These survivors are currently receiving treatment after being rescued by the military.
The despicable and gruesome murder of our member—a peace-loving Muslim staff of the
Department of Physics, ABU Zaria—alongside 30 others, including women and children from
our host community, whom he was conveying to a wedding event, is not only an act of sheer
savagery and barbarism but also part of a disturbing pattern of impunity-driven violence.
This incident underscores a deeply rooted pathological hatred toward anything perceived to represent Islam in Plateau State, exacerbated by years of negligible or non-existent attempts by relevant state actors to bring perpetrators of such heinous crimes to justice.
What these bloodthirsty serial killers fail to grasp is that targeting unarmed, innocent travelers under the illusion of impunity can only expose Plateau indigenes residing in other parts of the country to similar retaliatory vulnerabilities—should others choose to reciprocate such barbaric behaviour. Let it be clearly stated: failure by the authorities to deliver justice that is punitive, deterrent, and consolatory not only emboldens impunity but also risks inciting counter-impunity on a scale that could prove catastrophic.
The attempt by the Chairman of Mangu Local Government, Mr. Emmanuel Bala, to downplay
this massacre as a “case of mistaken identity” is both futile and insulting. It only serves to
confirm that the attack was premeditated and coordinated. Furthermore, the public praise of
this massacre on social media—such as the disgraceful “good job…” comment by one Kefas Gyang Pam—is among the clearest evidence that this atrocity was no accident but a calculate act of hate.
In light of the foregoing, the ABU Zaria Muslim Forum makes the following
recommendations and demands:
i. The incident must be comprehensively and independently investigated, and
those found culpable must be transparently prosecuted. Sanctions must be
public, punitive, and strong enough to deter future occurrences. The current
arrests must not be reduced to mere tension-dousing tactics without genuine
political will to act.
ii. Commensurate compensation must be provided for the lives lost, the injured,
and the property destroyed—by the Mangu Local Government Council, the
Plateau State Government, and the Federal Government—according to the
degree of their respective roles in the act, whether by commission or omission.
This must be done promptly.
iii. Comprehensive, proactive steps must be taken to forestall such occurrences
in all flashpoints across Plateau State and in other regions notorious for similar
attacks.
iv. The Chairman of Sabon Gari Local Government—home to the majority of the
victims of this heinous act—must engage proactively with the relevant
authorities in Kaduna State to pursue justice for both the deceased and the
injured. This engagement should also include ensuring that all medical
expenses incurred by the injured are fully and promptly settled.
v. The statement of condemnation and demand for justice issued by the
Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, in response to this
deeply troubling incident, must not be allowed to fade into the realm of
political rhetoric. Rather, it should serve as a principled and actionable
commitment—one that compels meaningful response and accountability from
the Governor of Plateau State.
In conclusion, we reiterate that the repeated attacks on defenseless Muslims and the
wanton destruction of their property—by fellow Nigerians under any guise—are not
only inhuman and barbaric but also provocatively unforgivable. The patience of the Muslim community has been stretched beyond its limits. Concrete actions—beyond
mere rhetoric—are urgently required to end these acts of violence and lawlessness.
We pray to Allah (SWT) for the repose of the souls of the deceased, a swift recovery
for the injured, and comfort, reward, and divine replacement for the bereaved and those who have suffered loss.
Dr. Munir Sani Ari
Secretary-General
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