Newly appointed Commissioner Ayodeji Faniyan's command arrests a suspect believed to have masterminded the Binper attack, days after the CP personally visited the community and warned against jungle justice.
Mangu, Plateau State — August 20, 2026
The Plateau State Police Command has arrested a suspect believed to have masterminded Tuesday's deadly attack on Binper community in Kombun District, Mangu Local Government Area, which left 25 people dead and four others injured.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the arrest in a telephone interview with journalists, saying the suspect in custody is believed to have played a leading role in orchestrating the assault. He said investigations remain ongoing, while security operatives have launched a manhunt for other attackers who fled the scene before troops could respond.
The arrest comes under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Ayodeji Faniyan, who assumed office as the state's 47th Commissioner just a week earlier, on August 11, and had used his maiden press briefing to pledge proactive, intelligence-led, technology-driven policing for the state.
Days after that briefing, Faniyan personally travelled to Binper for an on-the-spot assessment of the attack's aftermath, commiserating with traditional council elders, the local government chairman, and residents, and delivering a condolence message from the Inspector-General of Police.
During that visit, Faniyan vowed that the perpetrators would be identified, arrested, and prosecuted, pledging to deploy every constitutional means available to the command.
He also cautioned residents against resorting to jungle justice, warning that vigilante retaliation could deepen tensions and undermine efforts to bring the actual perpetrators to justice through due process.
The arrest runs parallel to a broader military escalation in the area: the Nigerian Army's relocation of its tactical headquarters to Mangu under GOC Major General Maxwell Dangana, and the launch of "Operation Hard Nut," a dedicated offensive aimed at dismantling the armed networks responsible for the recent violence.
Together, the arrest and the military redeployment represent the most significant joint security response Mangu LGA has seen since the crisis began.
As of this report, the identity of the arrested suspect, his alleged motive, and any wider network he may be connected to have not been publicly disclosed, with police citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
More on Plateau