By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Jos
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have killed three suspected bandits and arrested two impostors posing as security operatives in coordinated operations across Plateau State.
The crackdown, disclosed on Thursday, followed a distress call over sporadic gunfire in the Dutse Uku area of Jos North Local Government Area, where troops swiftly moved in to contain the situation.
Spokesperson of the operation, Captain Polycarb Oteh, said the soldiers intercepted two suspects clad in black tactical gear, allegedly masquerading as security personnel while setting homes ablaze and instigating violence within the community.
The suspects were arrested on the spot and are currently in custody, while two victims who sustained gunshot wounds during the chaos were evacuated by troops to a medical facility for treatment.
In a related operation in Karem community of Wase LGA, troops on high alert foiled what authorities described as a large-scale movement of armed terrorists advancing on motorcycles.
According to Oteh, the insurgents fled under heavy military pressure, but not before three of them were neutralised in the encounter.
He linked the operational success to the recent deployment of a reinforced battalion and specialised counter-terrorism troops, ordered earlier in the day by the Chief of Army Staff.
The military warned that criminal elements are increasingly exploiting security uniforms to perpetrate atrocities and discredit the Armed Forces.
Residents were urged to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements, as the operation intensifies efforts to restore peace and safeguard communities across the state.
