RismadarVoice Reporters
September 10, 2026
Troops of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have rescued three passengers who sustained gunshot wounds during an attack by suspected kidnappers along the Jos-Makarfi highway in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack occurred around 1 a.m. on Thursday when the troops responded to reports that suspected kidnappers had blocked the highway and opened fire on motorists.
At the scene, the soldiers found a commercial bus, marked EPE-840XB and reportedly driven by Baba Ruwa from Oyo State, which had been intercepted by the attackers.
The suspects fled after sighting the troops, allowing the soldiers to evacuate three injured passengers.
During preliminary questioning, the rescued passengers told the troops that two other passengers, identified as Mrs Precious and Mrs Esther, had allegedly been abducted by the attackers.
The three injured victims were taken to the Primary Health Centre in Riyom for medical treatment.
The Army has since launched an operation to locate the two missing passengers and arrest those responsible for the attack.
Security sources expressed concern over the alleged involvement of militia groups in kidnapping-for-ransom activities in parts of Plateau State.
They also attributed the growing threat partly to the proliferation of locally fabricated firearms, which they said had enhanced the ability of criminal groups to carry out ambushes and abduct travellers.
The sources said the attackers often take advantage of their knowledge of the terrain and surrounding communities to evade security forces.
Security agencies are intensifying operations aimed at dismantling the criminal networks, recovering illegal weapons and preventing further attacks on motorists and residents.
