Military moves Plateau headquarters after killings

The military has relocated the tactical headquarters of Operation Enduring Peace from Jos, the Plateau State capital, to Mangu Local Government Area following a series of deadly attacks in the area.

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The relocation is aimed at improving the security forces’ response to attacks in Mangu and neighbouring communities, where renewed violence has left scores of people dead and displaced others.

The Commander of Operation Safe Haven and General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Nigerian Army, Williams Dangana, announced the relocation on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Mangu.

Mr Dangana said establishing the tactical headquarters in Mangu would enable military commanders to maintain a direct assessment of the security situation and respond more quickly to emerging threats.

“Establishing a physical presence in Mangu will enable leadership to maintain direct, real-time assessment of the security situation and ensure timely tactical responses,” he said.

He said the relocation had been accompanied by additional troops, equipment and logistics approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Waidi Shaibu.

“My being here is not just in person. I’m here with enablers, additional manpower and all the resources required to execute this mandate,” Mr Dangana said.

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After recent killings

The decision comes days after a deadly attack on the Bin Mper community in Mangu Local Government Area.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that residents said gunmen attacked the community between the night of 17 August and the early hours of 18 August, moving from house to house and attacking people in their homes.

Residents initially told journalists that more than 20 people had been killed, while several others were injured, and some residents were missing. PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the initial casualty figures.

Amnesty International later said 24 people were killed in the attack and described the incident as one of the deadliest recent attacks in the state.

The rights organisation said graphic images obtained by it showed victims, including women and children, killed inside homes.

It called for an investigation into the security lapses that allowed the attackers to operate in the community.

The Plateau State Police Command later confirmed the attack and said the Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, visited Bin Mper to assess the security situation.

Mr Faniyan also conveyed the condolence message of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to the community and assured residents that the perpetrators would be identified, arrested and prosecuted.

The police said security had been strengthened in the area and urged residents to provide information that could assist the investigation.

Military response

The relocation of the military headquarters means that the command structure responsible for security operations will now operate from within Mangu rather than Jos.

Mr Dangana said the military had also commenced Operation Hard Nut, an operation designed to dismantle armed groups and restore security in Mangu and adjoining communities.

He said troops would maintain a sustained presence in the affected areas and work to clear communities of armed groups.

“We will systematically clear hostile elements and guarantee long-term safety for citizens of Mangu and its environs,” he said.

The military commander did not provide details of the number of additional troops deployed or specify how long the tactical headquarters would remain in Mangu.

Renewed attacks

The development comes amid a series of attacks reported by PREMIUM TIMES in Plateau State in recent weeks.

The newspaper recently reported that gunmen killed former councillor of Rim Ward in Riyom Local Government Area, Daniel Chong, popularly known as “Hon. Star,” during a late-night attack on Torok community.

Two security personnel were also reportedly killed when gunmen ambushed a joint security patrol along the Ganawuri-Sabon Gida Road in Riyom.

The attackers were said to have taken the service rifles of the slain personnel.

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Following the ambush, troops of Operation Enduring Peace reportedly arrested 19 people in the Tongoron community, Riyom, during a cordon-and-search operation.

The suspects, comprising residents identified as 14 indigenes and five Fulani residents, were reportedly taken for profiling and investigation.

The military has also reported other operations against criminal groups in the state, including an encounter in Langtang North Local Government Area during which troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, a magazine and ammunition.

The latest deployment places Mangu at the centre of the military’s response to the renewed violence, with the authorities expected to combine the increased presence with intelligence gathering and operations against armed groups.

The relocation also comes barely two weeks after Plateau State appointed a new Commissioner of Police, Mr Faniyan, who assumed office on 11 August.

At his first press conference on 14 August, the commissioner said his administration would prioritise intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, crime prevention and stronger cooperation with other security agencies.

He also urged residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, saying security depended on cooperation between the police and communities.

The military’s decision to move its tactical headquarters closer to affected communities is therefore the latest major security response to the deteriorating situation in Plateau, particularly in areas where repeated attacks have continued to raise concerns about the protection of civilians.