8 suspected members of an armed bandits group, terrorizing locals in some communities of Southern Plateau State, are reported to have been killed by security operatives in Sabongari village, of Wase Council area of the State.
The incident occurred following a coordinated joint operation launched by the Operation Safe Haven, security taskforce, and the local vigilantes to flush out the bandits in Wase and its environs.
The Spokesperson of the Special taskforce, codenamed Operation Safe Haven, Major Sabastine Takwa, confirmed the development to our Correspondent in Jos. He said the 8 suspected bandits were killed in the operation.
An eye witness from the community also confirmed the incident to journalists, he said the joint operations succeeded in recapturing two villages that were under the control of the bandits.
Communities in Wase and Kanam council areas of the State, had come under series of violent attacks by suspected bandits, causing the death of over a hundred locals with many properties destroyed in recent time.
Wase Community has suffered from incessant attacks from suspected bandits and Other hoodlums in recent times with the Special Security outfit Operation Safe Haven having looked overwhelmed by the sheer volume of attacks.
The Plateau crisis according to experts can be traced to the outbreak of a communal clash in 2001 between settlers and Indigenes and has become intractable having defied all solutions by successive administrations since then despite the Special Security outfit.
The State Governor, Simon Lalong, has cried repeatedly for more help from the Federal Government to ensure the security situation in the State improves and it can also return to its fomer glory and name as the home of Peace.
The State has suffered a lot of losses to the mindless violence including a serving Senator following an attack by suspected hoodlums masquerading as herdsmen.