Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Enduring Peace have killed several suspected militants and destroyed multiple hideouts in renewed clearance operations in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal and extremist networks in Nigeria’s volatile Middle Belt. Reporting from local and national security sources confirms the engagements took place over the past several days amid a wider wave of violence that has affected communities across the state.
Security officials said Nigerian troops, working with local vigilante groups, conducted coordinated operations across Babangida, Adua, and Bokayi villages within the dense Dutsen Zaki forest area, a locale long exploited by armed groups for concealment and staging attacks. According to military sources, troops encountered militants on the Babangida–Adua road, where an exchange of gunfire occurred and at least two suspected terrorists were killed. Other members of the armed group reportedly fled into surrounding bushland with possible wounds sustained in the confrontation. The troops sustained no casualties in the engagement. Troops subsequently located and destroyed a number of suspected hideouts believed to have been used by these armed elements. Recovered at the scene were a locally fabricated firearm, ammunition including large-calibre rounds, and a cutlass, further indicating the variety of weapons trafficked and used by criminal actors in the region. The cleared hideouts were demolished to prevent their reuse as bases for future attacks.
Additional infantry units from CSI Battalion XIV and the 332 Artillery Regiment, supported by motorised units and artillery assets, conducted further raids in Dadin-Kowa and Dada villages, according to security communiqués. During these actions, troops established firing positions and executed indirect fire missions against suspected militant positions in Madam Forest to deny freedom of manoeuvre to fleeing elements. While direct contact with militants was limited in some of these secondary sorties, destroyable structures were identified and dismantled.
Beyond the direct confrontations, operations in Plateau have also resulted in the recovery of livestock suspected to have been rustled by criminals. In one overnight patrol near Barkin Ladi LGA, troops ambushed suspected cattle rustlers based on actionable intelligence and were able to recover the animals after the suspects fled. Military sources indicated that efforts were underway to identify and return the livestock to rightful owners, with local community leaders being engaged to facilitate this process.
In a separate but related development, military operational updates indicate that Nigerian troops have foiled an attack by suspected terrorists in Shendam LGA, where sporadic gunfire prompted rapid troop mobilisation. Witnesses reported that suspected gunmen fled into bushland as troops advanced, and two civilians were injured in the initial attack. Those injured were evacuated to a nearby medical facility for treatment as pursuit operations continued.
The recent operations reflect an intensification of military efforts after a series of violent incidents in Plateau that have shocked communities and government authorities alike. Just days before the latest clearance actions, a deadly night-time attack in Jos North LGA left at least 20 people dead, according to resident accounts and a statement by the Plateau State Commissioner for Information. In response to that incident, authorities imposed a 48-hour curfew in the area to contain potential reprisals and stabilise the situation.
In the broader strategic landscape, the Nigerian military has sustained a high tempo of operations across multiple regions. Recent nationwide operations saw troops neutralise suspected militants and rescue kidnapped victims while arresting a range of criminal suspects in states beyond Plateau, including Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, and the South-East. These operations have also included the destruction or detonation of improvised explosive devices and the recovery of arms and illicit materials, underscoring the multi‑theatre approach adopted by security forces.
Plateau State has a long history of communal and criminal violence stemming from complex inter‑communal tensions, land disputes, herder-farmer conflicts, cattle rustling syndicates, and the activities of organised armed groups often described locally as bandits or militias. In recent years, waves of violence have repeatedly engulfed rural communities in Wase, Bokkos, Jos North, and surrounding localities, leaving significant civilian casualties, displacement, and property destruction in their wake. Two major episodes documented in past years include incidents in 2022 and 2023 when hundreds were killed in coordinated mass attacks attributed to armed bandits and militias in rural Plateau.
Analysts say this persistent insecurity illustrates deeper unresolved grievances tied to land use, governance gaps, competition over pastoral and agricultural resources, and the proliferation of small arms. These factors have been compounded by broader criminal networks exploiting ungoverned spaces to evade authorities and mobilise attacks against isolated rural populations.
The crisis has also drawn attention from human rights observers noting the cumulative toll of violence over decades, with an estimate of tens of thousands killed and hundreds of communities abandoned amid repeated cycles of conflict. The state government established inquiry panels to investigate root causes and propose measures for durable peace, but many findings have yet to translate into sustained stability in the region.
Official statements from military commanders and operational spokespeople reaffirm the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting lives and curtailing violent criminal activity in Plateau and elsewhere. The ongoing operations in Wase and Shendam are part of a larger counter‑terrorism and law‑enforcement strategy that combines aggressive clearance actions, intelligence-led raids, and community collaboration to reduce the freedom of movement of armed groups. Authorities emphasise that troops will continue to apply pressure on these networks to create conditions conducive to civilian safety and the resumption of normal socio-economic activity.
Civil society leaders and traditional authorities have also called for complementary non‑military strategies, urging dialogue, development initiatives, and strengthened local governance as part of a long-term peacebuilding framework. However, the immediate focus remains on stabilising security conditions while addressing rising tensions and preventing further loss of life.
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