Fresh Twist As Court Postpones Angwan Rukuba Terrorism Trial

A High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has scheduled July 1 and 2, 2026, for the substantive hearing of the terrorism case connected to the Angwan Rukuba killings, involving four defendants accused of terrorism-related offences.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The case was heard on Thursday before Justice Gidelia Fomyon of Court 9 during a Case Management Conference held in accordance with Order 4 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2024 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Representing the Plateau State Government, the Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, led the prosecution team.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mustapha Shaba Ibrahim, appeared for the first and second defendants with his legal team, while M.M. Salihu represented the third defendant and M.B. Abdullahi stood for the fourth defendant.

The defendants in the matter are Isa Umar Ibrahim, Adamu Isa Alhassan, Auwalu Abubakar, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim.

During proceedings, Daffi informed the court that the matter was set for a Case Management Conference and confirmed that the prosecution was fully prepared to proceed. He adopted the prosecution’s case management form filed on May 17, 2026, and requested the court to issue its report.

Counsel to the defendants equally affirmed their readiness and adopted their respective responses already before the court. The legal team for the first and second defendants said their response was filed on May 6, while the third defendant submitted his on May 7, and the fourth defendant also filed on May 6, 2026.

The court observed that some defendants had pending applications challenging its jurisdiction to hear the case.

Defence lawyers argued that the preliminary objections should be determined together with the substantive case at the end of the trial. However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that the jurisdictional issues must first be resolved to avoid what it described as a “journey in futility.”

Daffi further urged the court to consider the high public interest surrounding the matter and allow for an accelerated hearing process by deciding the objections before the commencement of the full trial.

In his ruling, Justice Fomyon stated that the case management process had been properly concluded in line with the law.

He noted that although case management reports are typically expected within 60 days, the peculiar nature of the case and the intense public interest made it necessary for parties to agree on convenient hearing dates.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to May 26, 2026, for the issuance of the court’s case management report.

Justice Fomyon also fixed July 1 and 2, 2026, for definite hearing and witness testimonies in the terrorism trial arising from the Angwan Rukuba killings.