Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), operating under the mandate of Operation Wutan Daji, have neutralised five suspected terrorists and apprehended a suspected kidnapper during a series of intensive clearance operations across Plateau State. The coordinated missions, conducted between April 4 and April 5, 2026, targeted notorious insurgent corridors and criminal hideouts in the Wase, Qua’an Pan, and Shendam Local Government Areas.
The Media Information Officer for OPEP, Captain Chinonso Oteh (also identified in official briefs as Polycarp Oteh), confirmed the developments in a statement released on Monday. He noted that the operations were intelligence-led and executed in partnership with local vigilantes to disrupt the movement of armed groups within the expansive Dutsen Zaki forest.
On Saturday, April 4, troops traversing the Babangida–Adua road in Wase LGA engaged a group of armed terrorists in a fierce firefight. The encounter resulted in the immediate neutralisation of two suspects, while others retreated into the dense forest with various degrees of gunshot wounds. Following the engagement, a thorough search of the area yielded a significant recovery of arms, including one locally fabricated firearm, a belt containing 105 rounds of 7.62mm PKT ammunition, 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a cutlass.
In a separate tactical engagement in the early hours of Sunday, April 5, troops stationed in the Namu District of Qua’an Pan LGA intercepted four suspected terrorists following credible intelligence regarding suspicious movements. Upon a search, the suspects were found in possession of 100 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
However, as the unit moved to locate the suspects’ primary hideout, they came under heavy fire from the terrorists’ associates. During the ensuing confrontation, three of the four apprehended suspects attempted to escape and were subsequently neutralised by the adversary’s own gunfire.
Simultaneously, at approximately 9:35 am on Sunday, troops in Shendam Local Government Area collaborated with local residents to apprehend a suspected kidnapper at Gidan Mangoro village. The individual is alleged to be linked to a kidnapping incident that occurred in the community on April 3, 2026. The suspect is currently in custody undergoing further interrogation.
These successful operations follow a recent directive by the Chief of Army Staff to deploy specialized counter-terrorism battalions to the North-Central region to curb a resurgence of communal violence and highway banditry. In a related development, the Plateau State Police Command also confirmed the arrest of a suspect identified as Suleiman in connection with a separate attack in Barkin Ladi LGA on Monday morning, which claimed three lives.
The military high command has reassured residents of Plateau State of its commitment to restoring lasting peace. Captain Oteh urged the public to continue providing timely information to security agencies, emphasizing that the synergy between the military, police, and local communities remains vital in dismantling criminal networks across the state.
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