Troops of the Special Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (JTF-OPEP) on Monday detained six suspected logistics suppliers to criminals and recovered weapons in the Samaru, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

Polycarp Oteh, the media officer of JTF-OPEP, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

Mr Oteh disclosed that the suspects were intercepted and subsequently arrested by troops while travelling from Plateau to Niger State.

“Troops of our Sector 7 in Samaru, Zangon Kataf LGA of Kaduna state, while conducting stop and search operations at a checkpoint, successfully intercepted terrorists’ logistics suppliers, recovered weapons and arrested suspects who were travelling from Jos in Plateau to Niger state.

“The operation conducted at about 9:40 a.m. on Monday was part of the ongoing decisive and offensive posture of troops, aimed at disrupting criminal elements and denying terrorists freedom of action within our joint operations area.

“During the operation, troops successfully intercepted and arrested six suspects travelling on an ash-coloured Mercedes-Benz with registration number: EDO GUE-722-LV.

“Items recovered included three AK-47 rifles, four sub-machine guns and a Mercedes-Benz car,” he said.

The media officer, who said the suspects had begun making confessions, added that investigations were still ongoing.

“Meanwhile, during the encounter, one of the suspects attempted to flee and was immediately immobilised.

“He is currently stable and cooperating with the ongoing investigation,” he said.

Mr Oteh said the recovered items and suspects were currently in custody for detailed interrogation.

(NAN)

Indigenes of Osun State in the diaspora, under the auspices of the Osun Development Association (ODA), have declared that the governorship candidates of political parties contesting in the forthcoming election in the state will sign a peace accord ahead of the poll.

ODA noted that this is necessary in view of the prevailing situation in the state and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The group explained that the current governor and Accord candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; the Action Alliance candidate, Olanrewaju Farinloye; the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam; the African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Esan Olajide; and other candidates will sign the peace pact.

Chairman of ODA’s Leadership and Governance Committee, Dr Tunji Olugbodi, made the declaration in a statement heralding the planned summit where candidates of the political parties will sign the peace accord to prevent violence before, during and after the election.

Olugbodi, in the statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday evening, explained that the state is currently at a critical democratic crossroads.

He said the summit, with the theme, “Speak, Choose, Hold Accountable: Citizens at the Centre of Osun’s Democracy,” is billed to take place in Osogbo because it is necessary to commit all the major stakeholders to a peaceful electoral process.

Olugbodi added that the group believes the state can set a national benchmark for peaceful, credible elections.

The summit is expected to bring all stakeholders in the electoral process under one roof to chart a way forward in order to prevent any uncertainty before, during and after the election.

Olugbodi said, “Osun State is at a critical democratic crossroads. The Osun Development Association (ODA) has finalised arrangements to host the Osun 2026 Democratic Governance, Peace and Electoral Integrity Summit, a high-level civic intervention designed to steer the state’s political discourse toward issue-based campaigning and away from rising tension ahead of the August governorship election.”

ODA Chairman, Dr Segun Aina, in his contribution, noted that the collective participation of all stakeholders is necessary for the forthcoming election.