Troops attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Operation Safe Haven, stationed in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, killed five bandits, including their kingpin, Kachalla Saleh, on Monday.

This came less than a week after bandits and vigilantes clashed in the Dogon Ruwa community, resulting in four deaths.

Abdullahi Haruna, a vigilante and youth leader in Wase, told Daily Trust that the incident happened around noon in Kinashe village, Bashar District, Wase LGA.

Haruna stated that the bandits, who posed a threat to residents’ lives, were caught off guard by security personnel, allowing for a resistance-free operation.

• National grid collapses again; TCN blames line tripping
• NIGERIA DAILY: Why The Measles Vaccine Matters For Every Nigerian Child

He said “Bandits had displaced people from the area, using it as a hiding place. The bandits didn’t expect security personnel to descend upon them at that time, given the area’s nature.”

Residents of Wase, particularly Bashar District, commended the troops for the successful operation.

Our correspondent reports that Wase LGA villages have suffered from banditry for two years, resulting in numerous deaths, including security personnel.

When contacted on the development, the spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom, neither answered calls nor responded to text messages sent to him.