Troops of the 3 Division/Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace (JTF OPEP) have recorded another breakthrough in the ongoing clampdown on militias, bandits, and other criminal groups in Plateau State.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the task force, Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, the operation was conducted on September 24, 2025, at Manja, located along the boundary of Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas. The operation followed credible intelligence on the movement of armed groups in the area.
During the raid, troops came under contact from suspected bandits but forced them to retreat in disarray after facing superior firepower. The soldiers subsequently searched the general area and recovered an assault rifle, rounds of ammunition, and two mobile phones abandoned by the fleeing criminals.
The military explained that the recovered weapons and items are now in safe custody for further analysis and action. Security forces have also intensified pursuit operations with a view to intercepting and neutralising the bandits who escaped during the encounter.
Major Zhakom commended the troops for their vigilance and operational discipline, stressing that their alertness and combat readiness remain central to the successes recorded in the joint operations area. He assured residents of Plateau State that Operation Enduring Peace will continue to pursue criminals relentlessly until peace and stability are fully restored.
The latest recovery adds to a series of recent military operations targeting armed groups in Plateau State, where communities in Mangu and Bokkos have faced repeated attacks in recent months. Security agencies maintain that the coordinated operations are part of wider efforts to dismantle criminal networks threatening lives and livelihoods in the North Central region.
