Nigerian Army Conducts Major 24-Hour Security Sweep in Plateau State, Arrests 53 Suspects
The Nigerian Army’s Operation Ensuring Peace (OPEP) has executed a significant series of coordinated security operations across Barkin Ladi and Jos North Local Government Areas in Nigeria’s Plateau State, resulting in the arrest of 53 suspected criminals and extremists over a 24-hour period. The sweep, targeting criminal networks and suspected extremist elements, also led to the recovery of illicit substances, weapons, and stolen property.
According to operational reports, the first phase of the operations focused on a suspected drug den. Personnel from Sector 4 of OPEP raided locations in the Angwan Yama and Kasua communities of Barkin Ladi. The raid led to the detention of nine individuals. Recovered items included quantities of Cannabis sativa, along with mobile phones, power banks, and other personal effects, indicating an active local narcotics trade.
In a separate, pre-dawn operation conducted at approximately 1:30 a.m., troops from Sector 1, in collaboration with Special Forces and the Department of State Services (DSS), targeted the Sara Suka group—a notorious group often linked to armed robbery and criminal violence in the region. Across multiple locations in Jos North, 44 suspected members were apprehended. The military personnel also recovered a cache of various dangerous weapons during this high-intensity raid, dealing a blow to the group’s operational capabilities.
Beyond these arrests, the operation demonstrated a broader community security mandate. In a related action, OPEP troops successfully retrieved four cattle that had been stolen from the Lugere community in Riyom Local Government Area. The animals were promptly returned to their rightful owner. Military reports state that efforts to identify and track down the perpetrators responsible for this livestock theft are currently ongoing.
Plateau State, and particularly the Jos metropolitan area, has historically experienced cycles of communal tension and criminal activity, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and clashes between herders and farmers. These coordinated, multi-sector operations underscore a reinforced security posture by Nigerian military forces aimed at disrupting criminal enterprises and extremist collaborations within the state’s volatile central belt.
The arrests and seizures represent a tangible outcome of the inter-agency collaboration under OPEP. Military authorities indicated that the suspects and all recovered exhibits are now undergoing preliminary investigations to determine further legal procedures. The recovery of stolen cattle also highlights the operation’s dual focus on both violent extremism and prevalent property crimes affecting local livelihoods.
These developments signal an intensified, intelligence-driven campaign to restore stability in Plateau State. The success of the 24-hour blitz, spanning multiple local government areas and involving different military sectors and partner agencies, is positioned by security forces as a critical step in undermining criminal networks and reassuring local communities. Subsequent actions will likely focus on processing the large number of arrestees and pursuing outstanding leads from the recovered evidence.
