Troops under Operation Enduring Peace have rescued two kidnapping victims and arrested 12 suspects in separate operations across Plateau State.

The operation’s Media Information Officer, Captain Polycarp Oteh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to Oteh, the first operation took place on Saturday when troops of Sector 1, Sub-Sector 12, acting on intelligence, moved against suspected kidnappers operating around Rayfield and other areas of Jos North Local Government Area.

The troops searched suspected criminal locations in Shere, Gwafan and Maza Hills, where 11 suspects were taken into custody.

Oteh said the operation was also aided by information obtained from two people who had allegedly been kidnapped from Gwafan Community on September 18.

He said the victims later identified three of the suspects as alleged members of the group involved in their abduction.

In Bassa Local Government Area, troops from Sector 3 also carried out a search operation following intelligence about suspected criminal activities.

The operation, conducted at about 6 pm on Saturday, resulted in the arrest of another suspect and the seizure of a locally manufactured rifle.

Meanwhile, troops operating in Mangu Local Government Area intercepted another suspected criminal during a patrol along the Tul, Ntam, Angwan Mata and Deng-Deng axis.

The suspect was arrested near the Water Board area after allegedly trying to hide a weapon when he noticed the soldiers.

A search uncovered a locally fabricated automatic firearm, nine rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and a mobile phone.

The military said all 12 suspects were being held for further investigation.

Oteh said investigators were working to establish the suspects’ roles in the alleged criminal activities, identify other members of the syndicate and support further operations to apprehend those still at large.

The ruling Accord in Osun State has accused the factional National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, and some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, of plotting to violently take over motor parks across the state.

The party alleged that the purported takeover plan was aimed at fomenting a statewide breakdown of law and order and creating renewed tension within the transport sector.

The allegation was contained in a statement signed by the state chairman of the Accord, Pastor Victor Akande, on Sunday.

Akande said credible reports gathered from various motor parks across the state specifically identified MC Oluomo as the alleged mastermind of the plot, using his purported surrogate, Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba.

The Accord chairman alleged that MC Oluomo had illegally issued a new certificate of leadership to Oyewale despite the tenure of the incumbent NURTW executive not having elapsed.

“The development was allegedly intended to encourage Asiri Eniba to embark on violent activities across motor parks and frustrate the state government’s plans to establish a Park Management System,” the statement said.

The party called on the Presidency and the Inspector-General of Police to rein in MC Oluomo, warning that he would be held accountable for any breakdown of law and order arising from the alleged activities.

The Accord Party also expressed support for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to suspend NURTW operations across the state’s motor parks and the planned establishment of a state Park Management System.

It said the government’s action was aimed at preventing factional clashes following the killing of Mr Olalekan Oyeyemi, while stressing the need to prevent further violence within the transport sector.

“The threat of factional warfare is still very on ground, hence the strong support of all and sundry for the creation of a park management system which the state governor will announce in due course’

“We therefore strongly frown at the illegal and violent activities of Mr Asiri Eniba, supported by Mr MC Oluomo, as a remnant of pre-election violence in Osun State, which should stop without further delay,” Akande said.

The party commended the Commissioner of Police for his intervention in maintaining peace and urged security agencies to enforce the governor’s directive for all NURTW factions to vacate the motor parks, while securing the facilities against alleged factional takeovers and preventing another round of NURTW-related violence.