By Joe Udo
JOS (CONVERSEER) – Troops of 3 Division/Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE (JTF OPEP) raided a kidnapper’s hideout on Tuesday, 6 January 2026. The operation targeted a location near Lantom Village in the Kadarko District of Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State, aiming to disrupt kidnapping and armed robbery activities in the region.
During the initial raid, troops arrested four suspects and recovered a fabricated rifle, an axe, and a machete. Preliminary investigations confirmed the group’s involvement in recent crimes within the district. However, 2 accomplices managed to escape the scene, reportedly with an AK-47 rifle.
Following the arrest, the suspects cooperated by revealing the location of a hidden cache of arms and ammunition and offered to guide troops to the site for recovery.
However, while leading troops to the hidden cache on the outskirts of Kadarko, the suspects attempted a desperate move by trying to snatch the weapon of one of the soldiers in a bid to escape but were decisively neutralised by troops.
A statement by Captain Joshua Atu John, Acting Military Information Officer, JTF Operation ENDURING PEACE, on 7 January 2026, stated that follow-up operations are currently underway to apprehend the two fleeing gang members and recover the missing AK-47 rifle.
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The General Officer Commanding 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander JTF Operation ENDURING PEACE, Major General EF Oyinlola, commended the troops for their gallantry and commitment to sustaining peace within the Joint Operations Area.
Troops of 3 Division/JTF Operation ENDURING PEACE remain resolute in discharging their lawful mandate to safeguard lives and property. He further emphasised that the cooperation of law-abiding citizens remains indispensable to the success of ongoing security operations.
