Grief and sorrow enveloped the Hayi Muslim Cemetery in Mangu Local Government Area on Saturday evening as the remains of 12 victims of Friday night’s mob attack in Mangun District were laid to rest amid tight security presence.

The deceased, including women and children, were part of a 31-member delegation from the Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, travelling in an Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria-branded 18-seater bus to Qua’an Pan LGA in Plateau for a wedding ceremony when tragedy struck.

According to local sources, the travelers reportedly lost their way and stopped to ask for directions when they were ambushed and killed by a mob.

Twelve individuals died in the attack, while 11 others survived and are currently receiving treatment at the Mangu General Hospital.

Religious and community leaders, in consultation with the bereaved families, opted to bury the victims in Plateau State to avoid escalating tensions in Kaduna, a decision made in the interest of peace.

Leading the funeral prayers, Sheikh Suleiman Haruna urged residents and affected families to accept the tragic incident as the will of Allah, calling for restraint and rejection of revenge. He commended the prompt intervention of security agencies and community elders in curbing the spread of violence.

Reacting to the killings, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani described the incident as "barbaric and senseless." He demanded swift justice and urged his Plateau State counterpart, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, to act decisively in coordinating the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

 “We condemn this act of inhumanity in the strongest terms. The government of Kaduna State is fully supporting the victims’ families and ensuring that survivors are receiving the best possible care,” Governor Sani said.

The Plateau State Government also issued a strong condemnation of the killings, vowing that those responsible would be identified and brought to justice without delay.

The incident adds to the list of communal and sectarian tensions that have plagued Plateau in recent years, raising fresh concerns about the security of travelers and the fragile peace in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.