Troops from the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) killed three suspected bandits and arrested two impostors posing as security operatives in separate incidents across Plateau State on Thursday. The operation in Karem, Wase Local Government Area, led to the neutralization of three terrorists who fled on motorcycles but were engaged by troops. Captain Polycarb Oteh, spokesperson for OPEP, said the suspects were part of a large-scale movement disrupted by high-alert soldiers. In a separate incident at Dutse Uku in Jos North LGA, two men dressed in black tactical uniforms were arrested around 11:45 pm while allegedly setting fire to homes and inciting violence. They were intercepted following a distress call about gunfire. Two others with gunshot wounds were taken to a medical facility. The Chief of Army Staff had earlier ordered the deployment of a battalion plus specialized counter-terrorism units to the area. Oteh warned that criminal elements were using military-like attire to carry out attacks and urged the public to report suspicious behavior.
The arrest of two men in fake military uniforms raises uncomfortable questions about how often armed impostors operate with impunity. Captain Polycarb Oteh's statement confirms that criminals are not only mimicking security forces but doing so during violent attacks—undermining public trust. If real troops needed a distress call to intercept them, how many similar incidents go unnoticed? This blurring of lines puts civilians at greater risk, especially in communities already on edge.
