By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
The Nigerian Army has launched a decisive counteroffensive against the resurgence of terrorists in Plateau State, as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the immediate deployment of elite Special Forces to crush criminal elements threatening lives and communities.
The deployment of the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion, made up of highly trained special forces troops, signals a hard pivot from containment to aggressive dominance of hostile terrain, military sources confirmed on Monday.
The troops are already on ground and have commenced preparatory and offensive operations aimed at dismantling terrorists networks and restoring lasting peace.
“A Game Changer Has Arrived”
Military authorities described the intervention as a game changer, designed to overwhelm terrorists through superior firepower, intelligence-driven strikes and rapid mobility.
The Special Forces were formally received at the Headquarters of 3 Division, Nigerian Army, in Jos, where the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander Joint Task Force, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, represented by the Chief of Staff, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Brigadier General Senlong Sule, charged the troops to act with speed, precision and resolve.
“You have been deployed to end this threat decisively,” the commanders told the troops, urging them to be ruthless in offensive operations against terrorists who have terrorised rural communities and disrupted livelihoods.
Major General Oyinlola commended the COAS for what he described as swift, proactive leadership, noting that the deployment was backed with critical combat enablers, intelligence assets and logistics required to ensure mission success.
According to him, the Army leadership has made it clear that Plateau State will not be surrendered to criminal gangs, stressing that the intervention battalion has the capability to neutralise threats across difficult terrain.
As armoured vehicles, troop convoys and heavy equipment moved into strategic locations across the state, the Army appealed to residents to remain calm.
Gen. Oyinlola reassured citizens not to panic at the sight of increased troop movements, explaining that the show of force is part of a coordinated plan to secure communities, highways and farmlands.
He thanked Plateau residents for their continued cooperation with security forces and made a renewed call for timely, actionable intelligence from the public.
“Peace is achievable when citizens and security forces work together,” he said, urging locals to report suspicious movements and hideouts of criminal elements.
The deployment comes amid renewed attacks linked to terrorists groups exploiting remote areas and inter-communal fault lines.
Military sources say the Special Forces will conduct targeted raids, long-range patrols and intelligence-led strikes, with a mandate to dismantle camps and cut off escape routes.
With elite troops now in theatre, the Army signalled that the era of impunity for terrorists in Plateau is over.
As dusk fell over Jos on Monday, one message rang unmistakably clear from military headquarters: the battle lines are drawn, and the Nigerian Army is prepared to finish the fight.
