WASE, Nigeria (BN24) — An ambush by armed bandits in Plateau State has left two soldiers and two vigilante members dead in the early hours of Tuesday, July 29, heightening security concerns in Wase Local Government Area.
According to local reports, the security personnel were responding to intelligence about an impending attack on Dogon Ruwa, a community in the Bashar district, when they were intercepted by heavily armed attackers. The gunmen opened fire on the joint security team around 1 a.m. as they approached the area where the bandits had reportedly been sighted. The ambush resulted in the immediate deaths of two soldiers and two vigilantes.
The community has since been thrown into mourning and unease, with residents confirming that the attackers made away with the soldiers’ rifles and uniforms following the killings. Ibrahim Sale, a resident of Dogon Ruwa, described the mood in the area as tense and fearful, noting that the incident has sparked widespread anxiety across surrounding villages.
“The bandits took their guns and uniforms after the attack. People are scared because it feels like nowhere is safe,” Sale told Daily Trust.
Traditional leader Abdullahi Yakuku, who oversees the Safiyo area that includes Dogon Ruwa, confirmed the attack. He said the victims had been ambushed after they mobilized in response to community alerts about suspicious movement in the area.
“There was a tip-off that bandits were preparing to attack Dogon Ruwa. Security forces acted swiftly and headed towards the location. Unfortunately, the assailants had already laid an ambush and caught them off guard,” Yakuku said, condemning the violent act and calling for increased protection for rural communities.
The identities of the fallen soldiers and vigilantes have not yet been made public, and authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding possible reprisals or arrests linked to the incident.
The deadly ambush underscores the persistent threat of rural banditry in north-central Nigeria, where communities often rely on a combination of military and local vigilante efforts for security. Wase LGA, like many parts of Plateau State, has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months, raising calls for stronger security infrastructure and quicker intelligence response.
