Nasiru Garba, the sole survivor of a commercial bus attack in the Kuru community of Jos South Local Government Area, has described how he narrowly escaped death during a massacre that left nine passengers dead.
The gunmen opened fire on the vehicle at Dungus Junction on Sunday. The attack occurred after the bus driver stopped the vehicle to allow passengers to disembark, creating a window of opportunity for the armed men to ambush the transport.
The incident has once again raised serious questions regarding the safety of commuters in Plateau State, where frequent attacks by gunmen continue to terrorise travellers in various local government areas.
Security concerns mount following Plateau bus massacre
In his account of the incident, Garba detailed the chaos that erupted when the attackers descended on the bus. While his fellow passengers were being gunned down, Garba managed to find a way to evade the bullets, making him the only individual to survive the direct assault.
The victims, nine people in total, were killed on the spot. The loss of life at Dungus Junction has caused significant distress within the Kuru community and the wider Jos South area. For many residents, the incident is a grim reminder of the volatility of transit routes used for daily commerce and movement.
Plateau State has long struggled with a complex security landscape involving communal clashes and banditry. While the government has deployed various security measures to curb the rising tide of violence, junctions and rural roads often remain vulnerable. The Dungus Junction attack suggests that armed groups are specifically targeting transit points where vehicles are forced to decelerate, making them easy targets for sudden ambushes.
The Kuru community has been at the centre of various security-related tensions in recent years. The recurring nature of these attacks has led to calls from community leaders for more visible security patrols along major arteries and junction points to prevent similar tragedies.
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the attack carries economic implications for the local transport sector. Frequent ambushes on commercial buses lead to increased operational risks for drivers and higher costs for commuters. This insecurity often results in the abandonment of certain routes, which disrupts the movement of goods and people, further isolating rural communities from major economic hubs.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the Plateau State Police Command regarding the identity of the attackers or whether any arrests have been made. The community continues to wait for a thorough investigation into the motives behind the Sunday massacre and for a tangible response to secure the Dungus Junction area.
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