Troops from Operation Safe Haven, OPSH and the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rukuba near Jos have arrested 18 suspects involved kidnapping, banditry, and arms smuggling, across Plateau and Kaduna states.
Maj. Samson Zhakom, the Media Officer for OPSH, disclosed this development during a press briefing on Thursday in Jos, emphasizing the success of recent operations in the region.
Zhakom also shared that the troops successfully rescued 18 victims who had been abducted and held captive in a remote forest located at the boundary between Plateau and Taraba states.
The rescue operation was a significant achievement in the ongoing fight against criminals operating in these areas.
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The media officer further clarified that the arrests and rescues resulted from an operation carried out between December 2024 and January 4, as part of broader efforts to combat insecurity in the region.
“In an ongoing effort to safeguard lives and property within the joint operation zone, our forces ramped up offensive actions, supported by strategic non-kinetic operations,” Zhakom explained.
“The past two months have seen intense operations along the border between Plateau and Taraba, particularly near the Bangalala and Kinishi forests, in the Wase and Karim Lamido Local Government Areas of both states,” he added.
These operations have led to the elimination of several notorious bandits and the destruction of their logistical networks.
This pressure forced criminals to abandon their strongholds, resulting in the rescue of 18 kidnapped individuals, who have since been reunited with their families after the necessary profiling and documentation by relevant authorities.
“The troops also neutralized several bandits and detained some suspects in various regions of Southern Kaduna,” Zhakom continued.
In addition to the arrests, the troops recovered a significant cache of weapons and ammunition while destroying numerous criminal hideouts within their areas of responsibility.
Zhakom urged residents of Plateau and Kaduna to continue supporting the military’s efforts in reducing the escalating insecurity in the region.
Crediblenewsng.com
