The Nigerian Army has confirmed that troops of 3 Division and the Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace neutralised an armed militia member in Plateau State after he attempted to disarm a soldier during a search operation.
According to the Spokesman of Operation Enduring Peace, Major Samson Zhakom, the development followed the arrest of the militia on September 4, 2025, at Kaskra in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. At the point of arrest, the suspect was found with an AK-47 rifle and 11 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.
During interrogation, the militia admitted to involvement in several criminal activities in Barkin Ladi and agreed to lead troops to the hideout of his associates for the recovery of additional arms.
On September 5, troops conducted a follow-up operation at the identified location. However, in the course of the search, the suspect made a sudden attempt to seize a soldier’s rifle in a bid to escape. “Troops acted swiftly and neutralised the militia in the process,” Major Zhakom said in a statement issued on Saturday.
The remains of the suspect have since been deposited in a morgue.
Major Zhakom stressed that troops under Operation Enduring Peace remain committed to stamping out armed groups in the joint operations area.
“Troops of 3 Division/JTF OPEP are leading the charge against armed criminals and will not relent until the entire Joint Operations Area is fully secured from these miscreants,” he stated.
