Soldiers Kill Three Bandits in Plateau After Storming Embattled Mangu

By Kamil Opeyemi

Men of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army have neutralized three bandits in the Magu area of Plateau state.
The troops who were deployed to the embattled town on Wednesday 12 were said to have engaged the criminals in a gun duel which led to the death of three of them.
The soldiers were said to have been ambushed by the bandits forcing the soldiers to engage them.
The troops had reportedly received a distress call in the Mangu general area. A statement by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachuwku, Army Director of Public Relations said, “After successfully clearing the ambush, the troops recovered 3 x AK 47 Rifles,14 rounds of 7.62 mm Special rounds, 1 x Motorcycle and a Constabulary Police Identity card. Troops are currently on the trail of bandits who escaped with gunshot wounds during the fire fight.”
The area had come under series of attacks by bandits forcing the Federal Government to give a matching order to the security chiefs to restore normalcy.
A total of 19 persons were killed last week in the same area.
Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos, while expressing sadness over incessant attacks, in a press statement issued in Jos yesterday urged Nigerians to protect themselves based on the Nigeria Constitution.
He said every citizen had the right to self-defence and the right to exercise it.
The lawmaker said: “ Innocent citizens are being attacked and killed on a daily bases in Plateau State particularly in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Mangu, hundreds have lost their lives since May 2023, and villagers can’t go to the farm, several displaced person camps, land taken over, farmlands destroyed, what a wicked world.”
“Just on Saturday, 12 persons were killed in Mangu and also yesterday night seven of my Constituents who are miners were targeted and gunned down. this is sad, barbaric and condemned. Amongst those killed, yesterday night include; 1. Ishaya David 25 from, Tana,2. Paul Adamu Dangyuruk 23, 3. Bitrus mancha Dantou, 4. Davou Boyi 40 from Dawurum, 5. Joseph John 39 from Dawurum, 6. Timothy Peter 35 from Dawurum. All in Turu, Jos South LGC of the State”
“Most of my Constituents now live in fear of bandits, and the attacks are now daily. In the face of this kind of breakdown in the will and capacity of the government to protect the people and their communities, law-abiding citizens must organize to protect themselves. The point here is when the government failed in its constitutional role to protect its people, citizens have a legitimate duty in law and morality to ensure the continuity of human life”
He stressed further that “Self-defence is indeed a constitutional right. Under section 14(2)(b) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” Accordingly, section 17(2)(b) of the same constitution requires that “the sanctity of the human person shall be recognized” and to reinforce this, section 33(2)(a) makes self-defence lawful when undertaken in “defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property.”
“I want to call on all Plateau Citizens to be alert and defend themselves against attackers, and all Plateau State Citizens must unite to defend the land, we are Peaceful People, but our inheritance which is our land will never be taken by force.”