The lone survivor of a deadly ambush at Dungus Junction in Plateau State has recounted the terrifying moments when gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus, leaving nine people dead, including eight passengers and the driver.
Nasiru Garba, the bus conductor, described how he survived the Sunday night attack by hiding inside the vehicle as the assailants approached. In a chilling revelation, Garba noted that the horrific ordeal occurred on just his fourth day working as a bus conductor.
“We parked by the roadside and dropped off five passengers. After they alighted, the driver got down to collect the transport fare,” Garba recalled. “Immediately, the driver opened the door to enter; the gunmen opened fire on the passengers who had alighted and those inside the bus.”
Garba said he bent down inside the vehicle the moment he heard the gunshots. The attackers boarded the bus, searched him, and stole his money and the phone he was charging, all without uttering a single word. “They didn’t talk while carrying out the act, and I didn’t look at their faces,” he said, describing the attack as absolutely terrible.
The Dungus Junction ambush was part of a broader, coordinated wave of violence that swept through the state on Sunday night. Suspected terrorists also attacked Vodni in the Pushit District of Mangu Local Government Area, killing two people and injuring four others. In a separate incident around the same time, two more individuals were killed at Tahoos in Riyom Local Government Area, bringing the total death toll from the night’s attacks to 13.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), confirmed the timeline of the Dungus Junction attack, noting it occurred around 9:40 p.m. He lamented the loss of life, revealing that among the victims was a member of Operation Rainbow, and noted that some injured passengers later died while receiving treatment at hospitals.
SEE ALSO: Six Imams Abducted by Suspected Bandits in Zamfara State
A local resident, Musa Dauda, painted a grim picture of the aftermath, stating that the commercial bus was found “stained with blood and riddled with bullets.”
In response to the escalating violence, the Plateau State Government has strongly condemned the attacks. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, described the killings as “deeply disturbing,” especially as the state has been actively working to strengthen its peace and security architecture through dialogue and intelligence sharing.
The government appealed to citizens, particularly those in affected communities, to remain vigilant, cooperate with security agencies, and resist the temptation to engage in reprisal attacks that could further escalate the violence.
For the families mourning their lost loved ones, and for a young survivor grappling with the trauma of his first week on the job, official assurances offer little immediate comfort. The blood-stained, bullet-riddled bus at Dungus Junction stands as a grim testament to the urgent, unyielding need for lasting peace and safety on Plateau’s highways.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
