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At least 20 security operatives and vigilantes have reportedly been killed after heavily armed bandits ambushed a joint patrol team in Wanka and nearby communities in the Garga area of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday in Dengi by the Kanam Development Association (KADA), signed by its secretary, ND Shehu Kanam, and chairman, Garba G. Aliyu.
According to the group, the victims included 12 security personnel, among them two senior military officers, and eight vigilante members who were supporting security agencies in protecting the communities.
KADA said the joint patrol team, comprising soldiers and local vigilantes, was travelling in two vehicles during routine operations across the communities of Garga, Kyaram, and Gyambau when it was attacked.
The association explained that the patrol unit was heading towards Wanka at about 2:00 p.m. on Friday when they were suddenly ambushed by a large number of heavily armed bandits.
In the gun battle that followed, several members of the security team were killed while responding to the attack.
KADA described the deaths as tragic, noting that the victims lost their lives while defending rural communities that have faced repeated attacks in recent years.
“In the unfortunate exchange of gunfire that followed the ambush, our nation lost brave defenders who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty,” the statement read.
The group also alleged that after the ambush, the attackers moved into Kyaram community where they looted property worth millions of naira and rustled numerous cattle belonging to residents.
According to the association, the attack reflects a broader pattern of insecurity in the region. It said communities around Garga, Kyaram, Gyambau and neighbouring settlements along the borders of Plateau, Taraba State and Bauchi State have experienced persistent attacks, kidnappings and cattle rustling over the past three to four years.
KADA said it had previously raised concerns about the worsening security situation but lamented that the violence has continued to escalate. The group called on local, state and federal authorities to urgently intervene to prevent further attacks in the affected communities.
Among its recommendations, the association urged the immediate deployment of additional military and security personnel to Garga, Kyaram, Gyambau, Wanka and surrounding areas, as well as the establishment of a permanent security presence in the border communities.
It also called for coordinated security operations along the Plateau, Taraba, and Bauchi border corridor, which it said bandits often exploit because of the difficult terrain.
KADA also expressed condolences to the Nigerian Armed Forces, the families of the slain soldiers and vigilantes, and the communities affected by the attack.
