The Nigerian Army has launched a manhunt for a male suspect, Pantong Stanley, over accusations of possession firearms and other unlawful practices in Plateau State and nearby environs.
The Army held that it’s troops recovered five firearms and 15 rounds of ammunition during a snap raid at his residence after it’s troops received intelligence linking him and other youths to an alleged cattle-rustling incident and a planned attack on residents of a community.
Residents close to his residence in Mwar Community, Chakfem Kingdom, in Mangu Local Government Area of the state that the fleeing suspect and some youths from the community were suspected of being involved in the cattle rustling, prompting the deployment of troops to the area to recover the missing cattle and apprehend those responsible.
The troops, operating under Sector 8 Operation ENDURING PEACE as part of Operation HARD KNOCK, conducted fighting patrols and targeted searches across surrounding settlements and bush locations. They also deployed drones and other surveillance equipment to aid the search.
However, the troops said they found no trace of the missing cattle during the operation. Intelligence gathered in the course of the search subsequently identified Stanley and other youths as suspected perpetrators.
Acting on the intelligence, the troops raided Stanley’s residence, but the suspect was not present at the time. The operation nevertheless led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one locally fabricated revolver rifle, two Dane guns and 15 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Army said the operation was aimed not only at recovering the missing cattle but also at preventing a possible reprisal attack on the community and curbing the proliferation of illegal firearms in the area.
The troops, in collaboration with the police and other security agencies, are currently conducting targeted searches around the locations of other identified suspects in an effort to recover the missing cattle, uncover additional arms caches and apprehend those suspected to be involved.
The Army urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information on suspicious activities to security agencies, assuring that Operation ENDURING PEACE remains committed to protecting lives and property and promoting peaceful coexistence across Plateau State and the wider North-Central region.