Plateau: Troops foil fresh attack on NIPSS, recover rifle stolen from fallen soldier
Suspected Militant Neutralized During Attack on National Institute in Jos South
KURU, Plateau State — Troops from Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) neutralized a suspected member of a Berom militia during an attempted assault on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) early Thursday morning.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 12:10 a.m., involved armed assailants attempting to breach the security perimeter of the facility. Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama reported the details via his social media account.
According to intelligence sources cited by Makama, the troops stationed at the institute responded rapidly to the attack, engaging the perpetrators in a gun battle. During the confrontation, one suspect was killed, while others fled into the rocky terrain surrounding the institute.
A subsequent search of the neutralized suspect yielded a service rifle, identified by military officials as belonging to a soldier killed in an earlier attack on troops at the Federal College of Land Resources Technology in Vom on April 11, 2026. The recovered weapon, which contained 16 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, has been placed in military custody.
The body of the deceased suspect was transported to Keystone Hospital in Vom for processing before being moved to a local mortuary. In response to the attempted breach, troops have increased patrols around NIPSS in an effort to prevent further incidents and to bolster security for local residents.
This marks the third attempted attack on the NIPSS facility in recent weeks, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the area. On June 16, a previous assault resulted in the deaths of Inspector Peter Joseph of the Force Headquarters Operations Department and two military personnel, with the attackers escaping with weapons. Again, on June 29, security forces thwarted another infiltration attempt after suspicious activity was detected nearby.
Military sources indicate the recovery of the rifle from the recent operation may provide important leads in ongoing investigations into militia activities in the Kuru-Vom region, hinting at potential connections between recent attacks on security personnel.
In light of the escalating threats, military authorities have intensified security measures around NIPSS, including enhanced surveillance and proactive patrols to locate the fleeing suspects. This operation is part of broader efforts by Operation Enduring Peace to dismantle armed militia networks and enhance security measures across Plateau State.