Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued Reverend Ephraim Yakubu, a clergyman abducted in the Miango area of Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, after a daring clearance operation that ended in a firefight between soldiers and his captors. The rescue, carried out at dawn on 4 December 2025, has been welcomed as yet another sign of renewed military assertiveness in the face of worsening insecurity in the region.
According to the military — acting on credible intelligence — the operation began with a clearance patrol over the Miango highlands, where troops discovered the kidnappers’ hideout and immediately engaged. The gunmen fled after facing superior firepower, abandoning Reverend Yakubu, who was later found bound under a rock and visibly injured. He was promptly evacuated to the 3 Division Military Specialist Hospital in Jos for urgent medical attention. At the scene, soldiers recovered a locally fabricated rifle and a loaded 9 mm magazine — evidence that may link the assailants to other recent kidnappings and attacks across the area.
This dramatic rescue adds to a growing list of successful missions by the army and allied forces in Plateau State over the past several months. In October 2025, troops under the joint task force Operation ENDURING PEACE neutralised two suspected kidnappers and rescued kidnapped victims during a coordinated operation in Kanam LGA. In April 2025, the military rescued 16 passengers, including six children, kidnapped along the Jos–Mangu highway — a popular route plagued by bandit activity.
Earlier this year, forces from Operation SAFE HAVEN saved seven abducted individuals in Riyom LGA during a targeted raid — part of a broader offensive code-named Operation LAFIYAN JAMA’A. Another mission in March saw soldiers in Plateau and Kaduna States recover abducted female children, arrest suspected gunrunners, and seize arms and ammunition, signalling a strong push against criminal networks exploiting multiple states.
From a Stone Reporters perspective, the rescue of Reverend Yakubu reflects a broader shift in the state’s security dynamics. A pattern is emerging: armed groups that once operated with relative impunity are increasingly being tracked, cornered, and dislodged through intelligence-driven operations and rapid response tactics. This suggests that security agencies may be regaining the operational edge, dismantling some of the supply routes and hideouts that sustained kidnapping rings.
A professional observation points out that these successes may also reinforce community trust in the military — a critical factor where local support and information-sharing often dictate the outcome of anti-kidnapping missions. For regions like Miango, where residents have repeatedly suffered abductions, such rescues help restore a sense of safety and signal that the state is capable of protecting vulnerable citizens.
Yet, while the rescue is a significant milestone, the fleeing kidnappers remain at large — underscoring the continuing challenge of fully uprooting criminal networks entrenched in remote terrain. Sustained pressure, follow-up intelligence operations, and systematic disruption of arms supply chains will remain essential if such successes are to translate into long-term stability.
As Operation ENDURING PEACE and related security initiatives continue, communities across Plateau and neighbouring states will watch closely. The rescue of Reverend Yakubu may serve as a turning point — a moment when coordinated force, intelligence, and commitment deliver tangible relief to citizens whose lives have long been upended by fear and violence.
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