Soldiers rescue two kidnap victims, arrest 11 suspects in Plateau

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have rescued two kidnapped victims and arrested 11 suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate in Plateau State.

The operations were conducted on Saturday, September 19, 2026, following intelligence on kidnappers operating around Rayfield and other parts of Jos North.

According to the Joint Task Force, troops of Sector 1, Sub-Sector 12, raided suspected criminal hideouts at Shere, Gwafan and Maza Hills, leading to the arrest of 11 suspects.

The operation was strengthened by information obtained from two victims abducted from Gwafan Community on September 18.

During preliminary investigations, the rescued victims reportedly identified three of the arrested suspects as members of the syndicate allegedly responsible for their abduction.

The suspects were taken into military custody for further investigation.

In a separate operation in Bassa Local Government Area, troops of Sector 3 conducted a cordon-and-search operation based on credible intelligence. The operation led to the recovery of one locally fabricated rifle and the arrest of a suspect.

Troops were also deployed in Mangu Local Government Area for a confidence-building patrol along the Tul, Ntam, Angwan Mata and Deng-Deng axis.

During the patrol, soldiers arrested a suspected criminal around the Water Board Area after he allegedly attempted to conceal a weapon upon sighting the troops.

A search of the suspect reportedly led to the recovery of one locally fabricated automatic weapon, nine rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and a mobile phone.

The military said investigations were ongoing to determine links to other criminal activities.

Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Maxwell Dangana, commended the troops for their professionalism and timely response during the operations.

He urged personnel to sustain operations and continue denying criminal elements freedom of action within the joint operations area.

Dangana also appreciated the support and cooperation of residents of Plateau State and other stakeholders, stressing that timely information remains important to security operations.

The latest operations form part of continuing efforts by security forces to disrupt kidnapping networks and other criminal activities across Plateau State.

Authorities have encouraged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to assist troops and security agencies in preventing attacks, rescuing victims and apprehending suspected criminals.