Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Troops of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace, have arrested 19 suspects during a raid on Tongoron Community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, following a deadly ambush that claimed the lives of a police inspector and an Air Force corporal on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The attack occurred in the early hours of the day along the Ganawuri–Sabon Gida Road when a joint security patrol was ambushed by gunmen. The assailants also made away with the service rifles of the slain operatives, prompting an immediate and sustained military response.
According to intelligence sources, the ambush happened at about 5:00 a.m. after four security personnel drawn from two different guard locations mounted a snap roadblock along the Ganawuri–Sabon Gida axis as part of routine security operations. After completing their assignment, the team began returning to their respective duty posts. However, two of the operatives—identified as an Inspector of the Nigeria Police Force and a Lance Corporal of the Nigerian Air Force—failed to return, raising immediate concern among their colleagues. A search was launched, and the bodies of the missing personnel were later recovered at the scene of the attack, with their service rifles missing. A motorcycle used by the operatives was recovered, while preliminary findings indicated that the ambush occurred in a volatile corridor near an area previously occupied by Fulani herders, who had fled with their cattle before reinforcements arrived.
In response to the attack, troops of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace, intensified clearance and cordon-and-search operations across surrounding communities. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, troops raided Tongoron Community in Riyom LGA as part of follow-up efforts to identify those responsible for the attack. The intelligence-led operation led to the arrest of 19 individuals, who are currently undergoing profiling and further investigation. Among those arrested, 14 are indigenes of the community, while five are Fulani residents. Military authorities have stated that the suspects are being interrogated to determine any possible links to the ambush or other criminal activities in the area.
The raid is part of ongoing clearance and cordon-and-search operations by Operation Enduring Peace aimed at identifying the perpetrators of the attack, recovering the stolen weapons, and preventing further security breaches in Riyom and adjoining communities. Security forces have since scaled up operations across the area, with clearance operations ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and recover the stolen firearms. The identities of the slain operatives have not been officially confirmed by authorities, as efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alfred Alabo, and the Media Information Officer of Operation Enduring Peace were unsuccessful. However, security sources at the command headquarters confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The ambush and subsequent arrests come amid persistent security challenges in Plateau State, where communities in Riyom and other local government areas have endured cycles of violence linked to farmer-herder conflicts, communal tensions, and criminal activities. The latest incident underscores the continued threat to security personnel and the urgency of restoring stability in the region. As troops sustain intelligence-led operations in the area, the focus remains on tracking down the perpetrators, recovering the stolen weapons, and ensuring that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice. For the families of the fallen operatives and the communities affected by the violence, the arrests offer a glimmer of hope that accountability may finally be within reach.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments