Sector 8 troops under Operation Enduring Peace foil a planned retaliatory attack on Mwar Community in Mangu LGA, Plateau State, recovering a cache of rifles and ammunition during a raid tied to a cattle rustling dispute.
Mangu, Plateau State — August 20, 2026
Troops of Sector 8 under Operation Enduring Peace have thwarted a planned attack on Mwar Community in Chakfem Kingdom, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, recovering a cache of firearms in the process, as the military continues its intensified operations in the LGA under "Operation Hard Nut."
According to the military, troops acted on human intelligence on August 19 that pointed to plans by suspected bandit militias to carry out a retaliatory attack over an unconfirmed case of cattle rustling allegedly linked to local youths. Acting swiftly on the intelligence, soldiers moved to intercept the threat before it could materialise.
As part of the operation, troops conducted a snap raid on the residence of a suspected perpetrator identified as Pantong Stanley, who remains at large. The raid led to the recovery of a significant weapons cache, including a factory-made AK-47 rifle, a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a locally fabricated revolver rifle, two Dane guns, and 15 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
The military said drone surveillance and intelligence operations remain ongoing across surrounding settlements, aimed at recovering the rustled cattle at the centre of the dispute, uncovering any additional hidden weapons, and tracking down suspects still at large, including Pantong Stanley.
Operation Enduring Peace renewed its appeal to residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or criminal activity to security agencies.
The operation adds to a rapidly intensifying security push in Mangu LGA, which has been at the centre of a wave of mass-casualty attacks this month, including the killings in Jwak Maitumbi and Binper communities that together left more than 50 people dead.
It follows the relocation of the GOC 3 Division's tactical headquarters to Mangu and the arrest of a suspected mastermind behind the Binper attack, underscoring the scale of the military and police response now concentrated in the area. Notably, this latest operation reflects a different, cattle-dispute-driven trigger for violence than the earlier mass-casualty attacks, highlighting the range of overlapping security threats security forces are now working to contain simultaneously across the LGA.
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