Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have killed 10 suspected terrorists and rescued several kidnapped victims during a major clearance operation in Daji Madam Forest, Plateau State.
The early morning raid on Thursday targeted criminal hideouts at Dogo Ruwa and Bogwas, known for harbouring armed groups operating in the area.
Residents confirmed the development, describing it as a major relief after years of insecurity. A Wase indigene, Jamilu Suleiman, said troops carried out an extensive operation, expressing optimism that normalcy would return.
Another resident, Garba Suleman, noted that communities in Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas had long suffered from bandit attacks, including killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling, which disrupted livelihoods and forced many to flee their homes.
Confirming the operation, the spokesman of the military task force, Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, said troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, carried out coordinated offensives under “Operation Wutan Daji.”He explained that troops established strategic blocking positions between Dutsen Zaki and Odare Forest, where they intercepted a large group of terrorists moving on motorcycles along a known route.
According to him, the troops engaged the group with superior firepower, killing 10 of them, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.Oteh added that follow-up operations were launched after reports of attacks on commuters along the Razat Kafi Abu axis, forcing the criminals to retreat into surrounding areas as troops pursued them.
Subsequent cordon-and-search operations in Suma Suga, Takwok, and nearby mountainous communities led to the recovery of weapons and logistics, including three AK-47 rifles, magazines, ammunition, motorcycles, and fuel supplies suspected to belong to the fleeing terrorists.
He said the operation had significantly weakened the capacity of armed groups in the area, adding that troops are currently tracking down fleeing suspects and their collaborators.
The military assured residents of sustained operations to restore lasting peace and security across affected communities in Plateau State.
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