Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have killed five suspected terrorists and arrested a suspected kidnapper during coordinated clearance operations in Plateau State.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement, Chinonso Oteh, spokesman of the joint task force, said the operations were carried out on Saturday across Babangida, Adua, and Bokayi villages within the Dutsen Zaki forest.
According to him, the offensive—conducted in collaboration with local vigilantes—targeted insurgent corridors in Wase, Qua’an Pan, and Shendam local government areas.
“The superior firepower of the troops resulted in the immediate neutralisation of two suspects, while several others retreated into the dense forest with various degrees of gunshot wounds,” he said.
“Following the initial arrests, troops moved to locate and dismantle the suspects’ hideout, and during this manoeuvre, the unit came under heavy fire from the terrorists’ associates. Amidst the ensuing chaos, three of the four apprehended suspects attempted to escape and were subsequently neutralized by the adversary’s own gunfire.”
Oteh added that troops also engaged armed terrorists in a fierce gun battle while patrolling the Babangida-Adua road.
He said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the scene, including a locally made firearm and more than 100 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
The operation comes amid a wave of violent incidents across Plateau State, including recent killings in Angwan Rukuba in Jos North and other affected communities.
In a separate incident, three persons were reportedly killed in an ambush in Jos South, raising fresh concerns among residents and civil society groups over persistent insecurity.
Security agencies have since intensified deployments and expanded clearance operations targeting suspected criminal hideouts across the state.
The renewed military push follows a recent visit by Bola Tinubu, who assured residents that the killings would not continue and directed security agencies to step up efforts to restore peace.
