Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation ENDURING PEACE, have intensified offensive operations against terrorist elements in Plateau State, neutralising several suspects in separate engagements, arresting a suspected gun runner, recovering locally fabricated rifles and foiling an attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.
According to an official statement signed by the Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, the series of successful operations were carried out across Jos South, Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas as part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating within the Joint Operations Area.
The statement disclosed that in the early hours of Friday, 26 June 2026, troops of Sector 6 conducted a deliberate offensive operation at Gero Highground in Jos South Local Government Area following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected terrorists in the area.
It explained that as the troops approached the terrorists’ hideout, they came under heavy fire from the criminals, who reportedly used livestock as cover during the exchange of gunfire. The troops held their ground and requested reinforcements, whose timely arrival forced the terrorists to abandon their positions and flee.
The troops immediately pursued the fleeing suspects, neutralising several of them while others escaped into surrounding areas. They subsequently carried out aggressive combing operations to dismantle terrorist enclaves and deny the criminals freedom of movement.
The statement further revealed that later the same day, at about 10:00 a.m., troops of Sector 5 deployed at Maijanki intercepted a motorcycle conveying two passengers travelling from Kuba District in Bokkos Local Government Area towards Maijanki in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
On sighting the troops at a checkpoint, the two passengers reportedly abandoned a bag and escaped into nearby bushes, while the motorcycle rider was arrested. A search of the abandoned bag led to the recovery of three locally fabricated rifles.
Preliminary interrogation indicated that the motorcycle rider claimed he had picked up the fleeing passengers from Kuba without knowledge of their intended destination. The suspect, the recovered firearms and the motorcycle are currently in military custody for further investigation and exploitation.
In another operation conducted on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, troops acting on intelligence regarding the movement of a large number of suspected terrorists within the Rafin Bauna/Gero Mountains in Jos South Local Government Area successfully laid an ambush on the group.
The troops neutralised five suspected terrorists during the encounter, while others fled in disarray, abandoning their mission.
According to the statement, immediate battlefield assessment, corroborated by members of the local community, indicated that some of those neutralised had been on the command’s wanted list for allegedly masterminding numerous deadly attacks in Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas.
The statement also disclosed that in the early hours of Thursday, 2 July 2026, troops deployed at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, came under attack while on sentry duty after suspected terrorists breached the facility’s perimeter through a low section of the fence under the cover of darkness.
The troops swiftly responded to the attack, neutralising one of the assailants while the others escaped. The body of the neutralised suspect has since been handed over to the police for further necessary action, while recovered arms and ammunition remain in military custody.
Operation ENDURING PEACE said troops have continued to dominate the general area through aggressive patrols to prevent further attacks.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations aimed at denying terrorist elements freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area. It also reassured residents of its renewed determination to protect lives and property while working with other security agencies and stakeholders to restore lasting peace across Plateau State.
