The Plateau State Police Command has arrested two high-profile terrorist commanders responsible for the deadly ambush that claimed the lives of soldiers and vigilante officers in Garga Community, Kanam Local Government Area.
The announcement was made on Saturday, March 28, 2026, by the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Ewah Bassey, during the parade of 22 criminal suspects at the state police headquarters in Jos. CP Bassey revealed that the arrests were the result of an intensive intelligence-led investigation targeting the attackers’ hideouts.
The ambush occurred on Friday, March 13, 2026, when armed bandits operating from Madami Forest—spanning parts of Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba States—attacked a joint patrol team moving through Garga, Kyaram, and neighbouring communities. The patrol team, comprising soldiers and vigilante officers, came under heavy gunfire, leaving 20 soldiers and eight vigilante members dead, including two army captains and a colonel.
“Following the devastating attack, which led to the death of soldiers and vigilante officers, the command immediately swung into action. Using intelligence-led investigation, two of the terrorist commanders were arrested in their hideouts,” CP Bassey said.
He added that the suspects were providing valuable information as the investigation continues. “We couldn’t sleep over the incident, so we made a serious investigation, and they’re undergoing thorough questioning, yielding useful intelligence,” he stated.
In addition to the terror leaders, CP Bassey paraded other suspects linked to kidnapping, gun running, sexual assault, and cattle rustling, all arrested in various locations across the state.
