THE NATION
The Chairman, Mangu Local Government Area, Marcus Artu, confirmed the development to The Nation by phone.
But he could not say how many gunmen were killed.
“I cannot not give the casualty figure, but they are many, and this is the beginning of meeting their Waterloo.
“What I was told is that some attackers came out in large numbers this morning (Saturday) and wanted to attack the people but the soldiers repelled them.”
COAS to soldiers: Adopt more aggressive posture against those disturbing Plateau peace
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on an assessment visit to Mangu LGA yesterday, ordered troops of the 3 Division Nigerian Army and the Joint Task Force Operation Safe Haven to adopt more aggressive posture and decisively stamp out terrorists causing mayhem in Plateau and neighbouring states.
“Go hard on those disturbing the peace of the Plateau and neutralise any terrorist annihilating people and burning or destroying property and other economic valuables,” he said while addressing them.
The COAS, who received briefing on the security situation from the General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, acknowledged that the security dynamics on the Plateau are complex owning to its political background, interwoven with cultural and economic sentiments.
These, he added, accounted for the prolonged duration of the conflicts and the escalation in its lethality.
Gen. Lagbaja inspected the arms and ammunition recovered by the troops and commended them for not allowing the crisis to escalate to other parts of the state.
