Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Mwaghavul Youth Movement in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State has called for an immediate, transparent and independent investigation into the killing of its Secretary, Mr Fwangshak Dawuk, who was shot dead on Sunday, August 9, 2026, by personnel attached to a military convoy in Jakatai, a community in Mangu LGA. Dawuk was reportedly carrying out community vigilance duties at about 4 p.m. when the convoy opened fire, killing him instantly. The incident has heightened tensions in an area already plagued by cycles of communal violence, reprisal attacks and displacement, and has raised disturbing questions about the conduct of security personnel and the treatment of civilian victims.
According to accounts gathered from the community, the shooting occurred in the aftermath of an attack on Lawuru, a neighbouring community in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area, which was allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani militias. Given the proximity and shared border between the communities, Mwaghavul youths in Jakatai mobilised to keep watch over their community and remain vigilant against any possible spillover of the attack. It was during this period of vigilance that a military convoy reportedly arrived in the area. According to eyewitness accounts, the soldiers opened fire, resulting in the death of Dawuk, who was reportedly carrying out community vigilance duties at the time.
What followed has raised even more disturbing questions. The deceased was reportedly picked up by the soldiers and taken to Barkin-Ladi General Hospital, where the military personnel allegedly presented him to medical personnel as an emergency case without immediately disclosing that he was already dead. By the time medical personnel discovered the true condition of the victim, the soldiers had reportedly left the hospital premises. The Mwaghavul Youth Movement described this account as deeply troubling and unacceptable, demanding a thorough investigation to establish exactly what transpired before, during and after the shooting.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Mwaghavul Youth Movement, Tubwot Joël Sunday, on behalf of the group's President, Kinsman Jonathan Yusuf, the youths said the incident is particularly disturbing because it occurred in the aftermath of an attack on a neighbouring community. At a time when citizens were understandably maintaining vigilance to protect their homes and communities, the presence of security personnel should have provided reassurance and protection rather than fear, confusion and the loss of innocent lives. The group demanded that the identities of the personnel involved, the commander of the convoy, the operational orders under which they were acting, and the circumstances leading to the shooting must be established and made public.
The youths also called on the military authorities to immediately preserve all operational records relating to the deployment, including the identity of the convoy, the personnel involved, the command structure, communication logs and other relevant evidence that could assist investigators in establishing what happened. They stressed that the death should not be treated as another casualty in Plateau State's prolonged cycle of violence and insecurity. "The death of Fwangshak Dawuk must not be dismissed as another casualty in the cycle of insecurity because a man who went out to help keep his community safe must not become another unanswered statistic," the group said.
The incident has added another layer of tension to the already fragile security situation in Mangu, an area that has experienced repeated cycles of attacks, reprisals and displacement involving different armed groups and communities. The killing of Dawuk and subsequent military engagement in Mangu have raised fresh concerns about the need for an impartial investigation into disputed incidents, improved intelligence gathering and stronger protection for civilians and security personnel. The Media Officer of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), Capt. Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, could not be reached for comments, as his phone was switched off when our correspondent tried to contact him. However, separate reports from military sources indicated that troops engaged armed men during security operations in Mangu on Monday, August 10, killing one militia member and recovering two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles. Reports circulating on social media linking the deceased militia member directly to the leadership of the Mangu Youth Movement appear to have conflated two separate incidents, as Dawuk was killed on Sunday, not in Monday's military engagement.
The Mwaghavul Youth Movement's demand for an investigation comes against the backdrop of intensified efforts by security forces to tackle illegal firearms and armed networks operating across Plateau. In May, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE reportedly uncovered two illegal arms-manufacturing sites in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area, arresting five suspects and recovering nine fabricated AK-47 rifles. Security analysts have continued to warn that the availability of locally fabricated and trafficked firearms is contributing to the persistence of violence in Plateau, where attacks and retaliatory violence have involved different armed actors. The situation therefore remains particularly sensitive, with community groups frequently presenting competing accounts of attacks and security operations. The Mwaghavul youths have urged the relevant authorities to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the alleged killing are thoroughly investigated and that anyone found responsible is held accountable. For the people of Jakatai and the wider Mangu community, the question is whether this death will be investigated with the seriousness it deserves, or whether it will join the long list of unanswered deaths in Plateau's unending cycle of violence.
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