​A Call for Restraint: Navigating the Aftermath of the Unguwan Rukuba Attack

 Who Were the Shooters at Unguwan Rukuba?

Here's an accout many of us are not paying attention to.

So far, the Plateau State Police Command has confirmed 14 deaths and zero arrests following the night shooting in Unguwan Rukuba, Jos North.

Again, we condemn the attack and extend our condolences to the families of the victims.

Still, one question remains unanswered: who were the shooters?

There is still no official statement identifying suspects. In the absence of that, eyewitness accounts have begun to shape public understanding.

Two of them—both widely circulated—offer sharply different versions of what happened. And I tried to highlight some key things from both accounts in this piece.

Account One

The first account appeared in a video shared by VeryDarkMan, recorded at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), where victims were taken. The video cited a higher death toll - 29.

In it, a man who claimed to be present at the scene said the attack happened around 7:45 p.m. He described about five motorcycles arriving, with armed men who began shooting sporadically.

According to him, some victims were chased and killed even after seeking cover.

He added that people initially thought the shooters were NDLEA operatives, who sometimes conduct raids in the area. It later became clear they were not.

On their appearance, he said some wore camouflage and others turbans—an image many conversant with security situation in Nigeria would associate with armed groups operating across the region — bandits. The man did not mention any abductions, though.

Notably, VeryDarkMan later deleted the video. The reason? I don't know.

Account Two

The second account came from the scene itself, where a man spoke in the midst of mourners. Part of the video showed what he said was the visit of Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

This witness placed the attack between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m., during Palm Sunday activities. He claimed a white car arrived, parked, and about seven men stepped out and began shooting.

He said 30 people were killed—28 Christians and two Muslims, specifically—and insisted that any account different from his was false. He ended by stating that no religion supports such violence, and that whoever the shooters are, they should know that God cannot let this go just like that.

So, What Do We Believe?

— Two eyewitnesses. Two different descriptions.🤔

— Motorcycles versus a car.🤔

— “Bandit-like” appearance versus a more organized operation.🤔

At this point, there is no basis to draw a firm conclusion. And this is why the above question isn't the right one.

But what is clear is that, in the absence of timely official communication, narratives—verified or not—will fill the gap.

Why This Should Worry Us

This is not just about who carried out the attack. It is about what happens next.

Incidents like this, when left unresolved, do not end at the crime scene. They travel into our daily conversations, into communities, and into suspicion. And in a place like Jos, where history has taught us how quickly things can escalate, that matters. A lot.

This is why restraint is not weakness, but a responsibility.

There are already signs of agitation. There will be calls for action, some reasonable, others dangerous. I shall write about this later.

But we must not allow anger—or incomplete information—to push us into decisions we cannot undo.

The responsibility now lies with the authorities to investigate and communicate clearly. And for the rest of us, to hold the line: to seek truth, and to not amplify fear and hatred.

Because in moments like this, what we say—and how we say it—can either calm the Tin City or set it on edge.