By Golok Nanmwa,Jos
Troops attached to the Forward Operation Base (FOB) of Operation Safe Haven, stationed in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State have killed five bandits, including their kingpin, Kachalla Saleh, on Monday.
Our correspondent reports that this incident occurred less than a week after bandits and vigilantes clashed in Dogon Ruwa community, resulting in four deaths.
A vigilante and youth leader in Wase Abdullahi Haruna told newsmen that the incident happened around 12 noon in Kinashe village, Bashar District, Wase LGA.
Haruna stated that the bandits, who posed a threat to residents’ lives, were caught off guard by security personnel, allowing for a resistance-free operation.
He said “The village is a bushy area, and residents had already fled before the latest incident,” Haruna explained. “Bandits had displaced people from the area, using it as a hiding place. The bandits didn’t expect security personnel to descend upon them at that time, given the area’s nature.”
Although Haruna acknowledged that eliminating the bandits doesn’t necessarily end banditry in the area, residents of Wase, particularly Bashar District, have commended the troops for the successful operation.
Our correspondent reports that Wase LGA villages have suffered from banditry for two years, resulting in numerous deaths, including security personnel.
When contacted on the development, the spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom , neither answered calls nor responded to SMS sent to him by our correspondent.
