How Plateau community resisted soldiers’ attempt to arrest gunrunner

Members of Vom Community of Vwang District in Jos South LGA of Plateau State on Saturday prevented troops of Operation Safe Haven from arresting a suspected gunrunner in the area.

Operation Safe Haven is a multi-security task force maintaining peace and harmony in Plateau and some parts of Bauchi and Kaduna states.

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According to the spokesman of the operation, Major Ishaku Takwa, the community came out in their numbers on sighting the personnel of the operation and barricaded the road leading to the community.

Major Takwa narrated that “Troops of Operation Safe Haven acting on credible intelligence mobilised its personnel in the early hours of Saturday 12, March 2022 to effect the arrest of a suspected gunrunner and fabricator in Vom community of Vwang District in Jos South LGA of Plateau State.

“Sadly, on sighting security personnel, members of the community came out en masse and barricaded the road leading to the community. 

“This was in a bid to prevent troops from gaining access to the community to carry out their lawful duty.

“All efforts to calm the crowd proved futile as they resorted to throwing stones and other dangerous objects at security personnel who kept their cool in the face of the unwarranted provocation.

“In order to prevent the situation from degenerating, the Commander OPSH Maj-Gen Ibrahim Ali ordered the immediate withdrawal of the troops from the community,” added.

OPSH, however, condemned the action of members of Vom community for obstructing the lawful performance of duty by security personnel and reminded the people about the consequences of preventing arrest and harbouring criminal elements in their community. 

 The operation consequently, called on the people never to attempt obstructing security agencies from the performance of their lawful duties, adding that “No one should be in doubt that troops would certainly effect the arrest of any person or persons suspected to be involved in any unwholesome activity considered capable of truncating the peace and security of the state and the nation at large.”