At least ten terrorists have been neutralized by troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE in Plateau State’s Wase and Kanam local government areas.
The operation also caused disruptions in the armed group’s supply network.
The coordinated clearance operation, which took place on Thursday in Daba and Seri villages in the two council regions, resulted in the rescue of numerous kidnapped individuals and the recovery of weapons.
Captain Chinonso Oteh, the Media Information Officer for Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday.
The statement read: “In a decisive blow against terrorist elements operating on the Plateau, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE, in conjunction with local vigilante groups, successfully neutralised a significant number of terrorists during a coordinated clearance operation across Daba and Seri villages in Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
“The operation, conducted as part of ongoing offensive clearance operations codenamed Operation WUTAN DAJI, underscores the military’s unwavering commitment to restoring security along identified terrorists’ corridors.
“Accordingly, at about 08:30am, 9 April, 2026, troops established strategic blocking positions between Dutsen Zaki and the Odare Forest. During the operation, a large group of terrorists mounted on motorcycles were sighted moving along a known transit route, troops swiftly and decisively engaged the criminals with superior and well-coordinated volume of fire.
“Despite initial resistance, the terrorists were overwhelmed with superior firepower leading to the neutralisation of 10 terrorists while some fled in disarray into the surrounding forest, leaving behind a trail of casualties.”
The statement also noted that following “a report of an isolated attack on commuters along road Razat and Kafi Abu axis, the gallant troops initiated a swift and comprehensive offensive targeting the criminal elements responsible for the disturbance.”
Oteh further mentioned that “upon the initial encounter, the perpetrators withdrew into the surrounding hinterlands, prompting an immediate pursuit by security forces.”
“Troops conducted rigorous cordon and search operations across Suma Suga and Takwok villages, as well as the adjacent mountainous terrain,” which “yielded significant recoveries of lethal hardware and intelligence materials abandoned by the fleeing terrorist elements.”
Three AK-47 rifles, three AK-47 magazines, and eight rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were found, as well as two motorcycles and five 25-liter jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit intended for terrorist logistics.
The forces also discovered a national identity card and a photograph of the suspects, which provided vital clues for ongoing investigations.
The media officer noted that “this successful engagement marks a significant step in degrading the operational capacity of armed groups within the region.
“Troops are on high alert and are currently in pursuit of the fleeing terrorists and their collaborators. Operation ENDURING PEACE will continue to intensify the ongoing clearance operations as troops dominate [sic] various identified flashpoints in order to guarantee the safety of lives and property of citizens.”
The people of Wase and Kanam separately expressed satisfaction with the operation.
“We are pleased with this development,” Jamilu Suleiman, a resident of Wase, said.
For several years, communities in Kanam and Wase Local Government Areas have endured persistent attacks involving kidnappings, killings, cattle rustling, and destruction of property.
Suleman noted that residents had been living in constant fear as armed groups operated from hideouts in surrounding forests, ambushing travelers, farmers, and even security patrols.
“Many families have lost loved ones or paid huge ransoms to secure the release of abducted relatives,” he said.
“Others abandoned their homes and farmlands, leading to displacement and economic hardship.”
He noted that the ongoing attacks interrupted daily life, prompted schools and marketplaces to close periodically, and created an atmosphere of insecurity that impeded agricultural and commercial activity in the once-peaceful border settlements connecting Plateau with neighboring states.
“We are indeed happy with what the troops have done. We have suffered untold hardship in the hands of these terrorists.
“We hope that the onslaught against them will be sustained so that our communities will bounce back to life again,” Suleiman Wasiu, another resident of Kanam, added.
Wase and Kanam LGAs have been hot spots, with armed gangs employing motorcycles to commit hit-and-run attacks on rural communities and commuter routes.
Earlier this week, gunmen killed eight people, largely from the same family, during a nighttime raid on Mbwelle hamlet in Bokkos LGA.
In late March and early April, the University of Jos revealed that two students had been killed and three others injured in separate attacks linked to unrest in Jos and along Bauchi Road.
