A coordinated assault by terrorists has left four people dead, including one Nigerian soldier, and two other soldiers missing in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack targeted the communities of Sabon Gari and Zurak in the Bashar district on Monday afternoon, where heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous strikes, overwhelming local security arrangements and engaging troops in a fierce gun battle.
According to military sources, Corporal Oladipo Adekunle (Service Number 13NA/69/2241) was killed in action during the intense firefight.
Trooper Aminu Rasheed and Private Aliu Yakubu have been declared missing in action, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation by security forces.
The assault reflects the persistent and evolving threat posed by terrorists operating in the region, who frequently employ hit-and-run tactics, multi-community raids, and ambushes to target both civilians and security personnel.
Local accounts describe the attackers arriving in large numbers, moving swiftly between the two communities.
In Sabon Gari, they struck first before proceeding to Zurak, where they directly confronted a military checkpoint.
The engagement resulted in the reported deaths of the soldier and three terrorists, though exact casualty figures among the attackers remain unconfirmed by independent sources.
Plateau State, particularly areas like Wase, has faced escalating insecurity in recent years, with terrorists exploiting remote terrains, forest hideouts, and porous borders to carry out kidnappings, cattle rustling, and deadly raids.
The latest incident adds to a long pattern of violence that has displaced thousands and strained military and community defense efforts.
A youth leader in Wase, speaking on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, described the attack as “yet another painful reminder of how vulnerable our communities remain despite military presence.”
He noted that residents live in constant fear of reprisals or follow-up raids.Security operatives from Operation Safe Haven have intensified operations in the affected areas.
Troops are conducting sweeping patrols and forest combing exercises aimed at locating the missing soldiers and neutralizing any remaining terrorist elements.
Arrangements have been made to evacuate the remains of the fallen soldier for proper burial rites.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of press time, but the tactics align with patterns seen in previous operations by terrorist gangs active in the North-Central region.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, while calling for sustained collaboration between communities and security agencies to restore peace.
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for enhanced intelligence sharing, better-equipped rapid-response units, and long-term strategies to address root causes of insecurity in Plateau State and surrounding areas.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
