On the early morning of 27 October 2026, troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) in Plateau State detained two men suspected of assaulting members of a local vigilante group and setting fire to their office in the Jos North Local Government Area of Jos.
The individuals identified by security officials are Musa Iniwa Umar, 37, and Zaharadeen Abubakar, 32. They were taken into custody at approximately 1:40 a.m. in the NEPA neighbourhood of Jos, according to statements from OPEP’s Sector 1 command.
A spokesperson for the OPEP sector said the arrests were made after intelligence linked the pair to the violent incident and the arson of the vigilante office.
Vigilante groups in Plateau State are community‑based security outfits that assist formal law enforcement in curbing banditry and communal clashes. The Jos North Local Government Area has witnessed several confrontations between such groups and criminal elements, prompting the deployment of OPEP troops to reinforce stability.
The two suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue to determine the full extent of the damage to the burned office and any further criminal liability. The arrests are part of OPEP’s broader campaign to deter violent crimes and preserve peace throughout Plateau State.
Operation Enduring Peace, a joint task force comprising army, police and civil defence units, was created in 2022 to address rising insecurity in Nigeria’s central region. Since its inception, the force has conducted numerous raids, arrested dozens of suspects, and dismantled illegal arms caches across Plateau and neighboring states.
The burning of the vigilante office disrupted local coordination efforts, as the premises housed communication equipment and records of community patrols. Residents expressed relief at the swift arrests, hoping the incident will not reignite tensions between security outfits and armed groups.
Authorities have pledged to increase patrols in the Jos North area and to work closely with the vigilante association to rebuild the destroyed facility. The state government is also reviewing its security framework to prevent similar attacks.
Community leaders urged the government to provide adequate protection for civilian security groups, noting that vigilant cooperation between formal forces and local vigilantes has been instrumental in reducing crime rates in Jos over the past few years.