Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Troops of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace, in collaboration with local residents, have arrested two suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in Ganawuri town, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, in an operation that security sources say formed part of ongoing efforts to track down criminal elements and address threats to lives and property across the state.
Security sources said the suspects, identified as Kabiru Mohammed and Abdul-Hamid Yusuf, were arrested at about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Preliminary investigations reportedly indicated that the suspects were allegedly linked to a criminal syndicate suspected of carrying out armed robbery and kidnapping activities in Riyom and neighbouring communities. The sources said the suspects remained in custody and were undergoing interrogation to establish their alleged roles in the criminal activities and to identify other members of the suspected network. The arrest forms part of ongoing security efforts to track down criminal elements and address threats to lives and property across Plateau State, with security agencies expected to sustain investigations and take further action based on the findings. The suspects' alleged involvement in the crimes has yet to be established through a judicial process.
The operation in Ganawuri is the latest in a series of arrests and security interventions by Operation Enduring Peace across Plateau State. On September 20, 2026, troops rescued two kidnapped victims and arrested 11 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate during separate operations. The operation was enhanced by the timely exploitation of intelligence obtained from two kidnapped victims who had been abducted from Gwafan Community on September 18. On October 1, the same day Mohammed and Yusuf were arrested, troops of Sector 1 arrested a 34-year-old suspected Mwaghavul militia member and recovered four cows during a raid in Mangu Local Government Area. The cows had been rustled during a targeted attack on Fulani herders. On September 26, troops arrested a 30-year-old suspected kidnapper, Yahaya Mohammed, in Riyom with N1,925,000 in cash. The suspect claimed the money was proceeds from cattle sales but could not provide reasonable evidence to substantiate the claim. On October 1, a kidnapped Plateau resident, Gazu, regained his freedom following sustained pressure from troops of Sector 3, Operation Enduring Peace, and other security agencies involved in the rescue operation.
Riyom Local Government Area has been a persistent flashpoint for kidnapping, armed robbery, and communal violence. On July 14, 2026, troops rescued seven passengers who had been kidnapped along the Riyom Highway near Sopp village. On September 10, troops rescued three passengers who sustained gunshot injuries during an attack by suspected kidnappers along the Jos–Makarfi highway. In August 2026, gunmen ambushed a joint security patrol along the Ganawuri-Sabon Gida road, killing a police inspector and a Nigerian Air Force corporal and carting away their service rifles. The attack occurred at about 5:00 a.m. after four security personnel drawn from two guard locations mounted a snap checkpoint. The recurrence of attacks in the same area where Mohammed and Yusuf were arrested underscores the persistence of criminal networks operating in Riyom and the challenges facing security forces attempting to contain them.
The broader context of security in Plateau State remains deeply troubling. On September 26, 2026, gunmen killed at least 54 people in Zikke village, Bassa Local Government Area, barely two weeks after 52 people were killed in a similar attack in the same local government. On September 24, two miners were killed at a mining site in Kworos Gangare, Barkin Ladi, while two others were killed at Nghar, Exland. On the same day, three community members were killed at Gassa. On September 23, gunmen abducted Hon. Denty Laven, a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly representing Pankshin South Constituency. On October 1, a 14-year-old herder, Aliyu Ismail, was killed while grazing cattle in Wereng community, Riyom Local Government Area. The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria described the killing as an unprovoked assault on a minor carrying out a lawful means of livelihood.
The Nigerian Bar Association in Plateau State has accused terrorists of openly attacking communities observing government-imposed curfews, describing the situation as an invitation to total anarchy and a complete breakdown of law and order. The association noted that some community vigilantes in Kikyo village, Mangu Local Government Area, were killed at their duty post by terrorists during curfew hours, and that similar attacks were reported in Kantoma and Bin-Per villages in Mangu, as well as Kasa village, Wereh village, Ropp, Fan and Marit Districts in Barkin Ladi. Amnesty International has condemned the violence as an inexcusable security failure, saying the security measures President Bola Tinubu claims to be implementing are not working.
The Nigerian Army has deployed 178 troops to reinforce security operations in Mangu Local Government Area amid renewed attacks and growing security concerns in parts of the state. The Chief of Army Staff has directed troops of Operation Enduring Peace to sustain pressure on criminal groups while supporting peace-building initiatives aimed at consolidating security gains across Plateau State and neighbouring areas. The operational engagement emphasised inter-agency cooperation and the importance of sustained stability in Plateau State. The arrest of Mohammed and Yusuf in Ganawuri is part of that broader operational posture. But for the people of Plateau State, who have buried too many loved ones and watched too many attackers escape justice, the arrest of two suspects is a single step in a long and difficult journey. The investigation continues, and the coming days will reveal whether the intelligence gathered from the interrogation of the suspects leads to further arrests and the dismantling of the network they are alleged to belong to. For now, Kabiru Mohammed and Abdul-Hamid Yusuf remain in custody, and the people of Riyom are left to wonder whether this arrest will bring them any closer to the peace they have been denied for so long.
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