Nigerian military forces have successfully raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Lantom Village, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, leading to the neutralisation of suspects and recovery of weapons, as security agencies intensify efforts to confront rising violent crime in the region.
The operation, conducted on January 6, 2026, targeted a known kidnapping gang’s encampment, following credible intelligence provided to forces of the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (JTF OPEP) operating in the North-Central geopolitical zone.
According to military sources involved in the mission, troops moved swiftly and overran the hideout, engaging the suspects in a brief but decisive confrontation.
“Troops of 3 Division of the Nigerian Army under Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace have raided a kidnappers’ hideout in Plateau State, neutralising suspects and recovering weapons during the operation,” the statement said.
During the raid, four suspected kidnappers were taken into custody, and several weapons—including locally fabricated firearms, were recovered from the scene.
Security personnel also retrieved items believed to be associated with kidnapping activities, such as machetes and other offensive implements, underscoring the violent intent of the group.
The Plateau raid forms part of a broader offensive by Nigerian security forces against criminal gangs and bandits involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other forms of armed banditry that have plagued communities across Nigeria’s central and northern states.
The military’s current posture emphasizes intelligence-led operations to pre-empt kidnappings, disrupt criminal networks, and recover victims before ransoms are demanded or violence escalates. Analysts say such precision actions are critical in a region where kidnappers have long sought to exploit remote terrain for refuge.
