Troops of Operation Enduring Peace, working alongside police and other security operatives, have apprehended seven suspects in connection with the killing of residents and the rustling of cattle in Bong/Kook village, Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama reported that all the suspects, who are indigenes of Plateau State, were arrested on January 4 at about 9:30 p.m., following actionable intelligence.
Sources said the arrests were made in Namu while the suspects were travelling toward Nasarawa State. The operation involved a joint team of police officers, Operation Enduring Peace personnel, and local hunters.
“The suspects arrested include both the masterminds and those who directly participated in the attack and killing at Kook village,” the sources added.
The attack occurred in the early hours of January 2, when armed men stormed Bong/Kook village in Doemak District, rustling cattle and shooting residents.
The Plateau State Police Command earlier confirmed that at least seven people were killed and several others injured during the invasion. The command also stated that two of the attackers were neutralised during a subsequent hot pursuit by security forces.
Sources further disclosed that a combined team of soldiers, police operatives, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local vigilantes pursued the assailants, who reportedly shot residents to facilitate their escape before abandoning the stolen cattle.
Security agencies emphasised that preliminary investigations pointed to criminal gangs involved in cattle rustling, clarifying that the incident was not driven by ethnic or religious motivations.
They added that the stolen cows had been recovered and security presence in the area reinforced to prevent further attacks. Efforts were reportedly ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects and recover weapons used in the raid.
Makama observed that the arrest of the seven suspects linked to the killings received limited public attention, which he attributed to selective reporting and advocacy on violence in the state.
He noted that the deadly attack drew unusually low publicity and muted reactions because the perpetrators were locals rather than Fulani bandits, resulting in less media focus and international concern compared to similar incidents in Plateau State.
“The attack did not fit into the familiar ethnic or religious framing that usually drives strong reactions. The assailants were identified as Plateau indigenes, and the victims were neither Fulani nor linked to pastoral communities,” Makama said.
