Troops Reopen Jos–Pankshin Highway After Violent Protest Over Arrest of Suspected Militia Leader in Plateau
….as locals attack troops…
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have restored traffic along the Jos–Mararaban Pushit–Pankshin highway in Plateau State following a violent protest by suspected Mwaghavul militia supporters over the arrest of a vigilante leader identified as Karfe.
The protest, involving Mwaghavul women and youths dressed in black, reportedly occurred at about 10:05 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2026, along the highway, following the earlier arrest of Karfe who was responsible for the killing of a fulani elderly man along the Jipun–Jennaret road.
Security sources said the protesters barricaded the highway, disrupting the free flow of traffic and demanding the release of Karfe, whom they described as their vigilante leader.
Troops of Sector 8, Operation Enduring Peace, reportedly responded to the incident and engaged the protesters in dialogue in an attempt to persuade them to remove the barricades and reopen the highway.
However, the peaceful approach was unsuccessful, as the protesters allegedly continued to hurl insults at security personnel.
Consequently, the Commander of 236 Tank Battalion led the Sector 8 Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to the location for the immediate dispersal of the crowd and restoration of traffic.
Upon arrival, the troops reportedly removed the barricades to restore the free flow of traffic, prompting the agitated protesters to violently attack security personnel with stones and other harmful objects.
The attack reportedly left one Keystone police personnel with a head injury. Security sources said the troops subsequently resorted to crowd dispersal measures to restore law and order and ensure timely de-escalation of the situation.
During the dispersal, nine civilians reportedly sustain injuries. The injured victims were identified as Victor Monday, 47, and Sadiq Ibrahim, 30. Monday is currently receiving medical attention at Mangu General Hospital, while Ibrahim is being treated at Allah Na Kowa Hospital. The injured Police personnel also also immediately evacuated for medical attention.
Following the incident, the Commander of 236 Tank Battalion initiated an emergency stakeholders' meeting at the palace of the paramount ruler in Mararaban Pushit to restore normalcy in the area.
The meeting was attended by district heads within Pushit District, the women leader of MDA Pushit, the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Plateau State, representatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Commander of Operation Rainbow, the Area Commander of Pushit and the Deputy Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area.
During the engagement, the battalion commander emphasised that peaceful resolution remained the preferred approach to addressing disputes and urged stakeholders to avoid actions capable of violating the law.
He reassured the stakeholders that troops would continue to protect law-abiding citizens and remain non-partisan in resolving conflicts within their area of responsibility. The commander also visited all the victims injured during the dispersal to assess their medical condition.
Security sources said troops continued to dominate the general area to prevent further disturbances and maintain security.
