Security forces repel attack, reclaim villages in Bokkos LGA, Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

A joint security operation has reclaimed several deserted villages in the Horop District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, following persistent attacks and occupation by suspected Fulani militias.

Zagazola Makama was reliably informed that the clearance operation was launched after residents of Hokk and neighboring villages fled their homes, reporting that the attackers had taken over their communities and erected temporary shelters.

In response, a combined troops of the Nigerian Army, team of Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel were deployed to the area to restore order and secure the villages.

The troops, encountered strong resistance from the armed attackers. A fierce gun battle ensued, but the attackers were eventually overpowered and forced to retreat into nearby bushes.

During the operation, several makeshift huts erected by the militias were destroyed, and two motorcycles abandoned by the fleeing assailants were recovered.

Authorities say patrols and security presence in the area have been intensified to prevent further incursions and allow displaced villagers to safely return to their homes.

Security forces repel attack, reclaim villages in Bokkos LGA, Plateau

Troops arrest 25 suspected bandits, kidnappers in Katsina-Ala, Benue

By: Zagazola Makama

Joint security operatives have arrested 25 suspected bandits and kidnappers during a coordinated operation along the Katsina-Ala–Takum Federal Highway in Benue State.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the patrol, which was conducted on Monday, was initiated following intelligence reports of planned attacks on Tor-Donga town by suspected armed herdsmen and bandits, the Benue State Police Command said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

According to the statement, credible intelligence led the patrol team to Gbisetown, a known flashpoint along the highway, where four suspects were initially apprehended after attempting to flee upon sighting the security convoy.

“While returning to Tor-Donga, the operatives again sighted suspicious movement around the same Gbisetown area. A general raid of the surroundings was carried out, leading to the arrest of 21 more suspects believed to be linked to recent kidnappings and banditry in the area,” said the sources.

Security has been heightened in Katsina-Ala and its environs in response to growing concerns over armed herdsmen attacks and kidnapping incidents.

Troops arrest 25 suspected bandits, kidnappers in Katsina-Ala, Benue

DSS-led joint operation crushes ESN strongholds, kills top kingpins in Imo

By: Zagazola Makama

A wave of coordinated security offensives in Imo State has barbecued the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with the killing of key kingpins and the dislodgement of notorious terrorist camps in forested parts of Njaba and Isu Local Government Areas.

Zagazola Makama understand that The offensive, which began on June 29, was spearheaded by the Department of State Services (DSS) in close collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, special forces, and local tactical units.

It was launched after the arrest and detailed confessions of two ESN commanders Uchenna Opara, popularly known as Ntanta Miri, and Ozioma Ihedoro, a.k.a OZ, both natives of Umuaka community in Njaba LGA.

Acting on actionable intelligence, the joint team raided and obliterated several terrorist enclaves, including Umuele Umuaka, Ezioha, and Ugbele Umuaka, known safe havens of the separatist group.

A fierce gun battle ensued as operatives stormed the camps. Three ESN fighters were neutralised during the confrontation, while others reportedly escaped with bullet wounds. Their bodies were later recovered along the Ugbele Umuaka axis.

What followed was a methodical clearance operation targeting the B44 camp cluster, long considered one of ESN’s strategic base networks. The camps, codenamed B44 Tangle 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9, were all successfully dislodged by the joint force.

A caterpillar operator working with the team was tragically killed in the line of duty when the group came under sudden fire while approaching the B44 main camp. He was rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, but later confirmed dead by a medical officer on duty.

Items recovered from the operation included:
One AK-47 rifle, 15 rounds of live ammunition, pump-action shotgun, two locally made IEDs, one human skull and a Biafran flag

In addition, two suspected ESN members were arrested during the combing of nearby bush paths. The duo Emeka Ogene Sabinus of Ezi Isu in Isu LGA and Nnabuike Emmanuel of Ohofia Oduma in Aninri LGA, Enugu State were said to bear tribal incisions associated with the proscribed militia.

The collapse of the B44 cluster was significant in the counterinsurgency drive in the South-East, where pockets of armed resistance have posed growing threats to residents, security personnel, and national assets.

“The terrain is difficult, but our operatives are relentless,” a senior official close to the operation said. “We are targeting leadership figures, supply chains, and safe havens.”

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend fleeing fighters, with mop-up operations continuing in adjoining forest belts across Orlu, Njaba, and Isu corridors.

The Imo offensive adds to a growing list of successes by joint intelligence-led operations aimed at stabilising regions grappling with armed separatist violence, kidnappings, and the weaponisation of local grievances.

DSS-led joint operation crushes ESN strongholds, kills top kingpins in Imo