Security forces in Plateau State are currently engaged in a frantic search and rescue operation following a deadly confrontation that left four persons dead and two soldiers missing. The violent clash occurred on Monday, February 2, 2026, when armed bandits launched a coordinated attack on the Sabon Gari and Zurak communities in the Wase Local Government Area. The casualties reportedly include one soldier and three suspected bandits, while the military high command scrambles to locate the missing personnel amidst the volatile security situation in the region.
Troops attached to Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) were forced into a fierce gun battle after receiving intelligence that a massive convoy of approximately 200 motorcycles, carrying heavily armed assailants, was advancing towards the Kampani community. In an attempt to preempt the invasion, soldiers intercepted the group, leading to an intense exchange of fire that began late on Monday afternoon. Military sources confirmed on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, that while the troops successfully repelled the initial advance, the attackers regrouped and launched a secondary offensive on Zurak, overwhelming some of the defensive positions.
The soldier killed in action has been identified as Corporal Oladipo Adekunle, whose rifle and Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tube were reportedly seized by the fleeing bandits. The two soldiers declared missing in action have been identified as Trooper Aminu Rasheed and Private Aliu Yakubu. During the firefight, the military neutralized three of the attackers and recovered weapons, although eyewitnesses in the community claim the civilian death toll could be higher, with some residents fearing that the bandits evacuated more of their dead to conceal the true scale of their losses.
The attack has cast a shadow of fear over Wase, a local government area that has frequently become a flashpoint for banditry and communal violence. Residents have begun fleeing the affected villages, fearing reprisal attacks or a renewed offensive by the criminal gangs who are believed to be relocating from conflict zones in neighboring Taraba and Bauchi states. As of Wednesday, February 4, 2026, military reinforcements have been deployed to the area to stabilize the situation and conduct a clearance operation in the forest hideouts where the missing soldiers are believed to be held.
