Plateau: Troops foil fresh attack on NIPSS, recover rifle stolen from fallen soldier

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace, OPEP, have neutralised a suspected Berom militia member during a failed attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The troops also recovered a service rifle allegedly stolen from a soldier killed in an earlier attack.
The development was contained in a post shared on Thursday by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama via his X handle.

According to intelligence sources cited by Makama, the attack occurred at about 12:10 a.m. on July 2 when suspected armed militia members attempted to breach the security perimeter of the strategic institution under the cover of darkness.

Troops of Sector 6 deployed to protect the facility reportedly responded swiftly, engaging the attackers in a gun battle.

During the exchange of fire, one of the suspected attackers was killed, while others fled towards the rocky terrain behind the institute.

A search conducted on the neutralised suspect led to the recovery of a service rifle bearing registration number CO-3175, which military authorities reportedly identified as belonging to a soldier killed during an attack on troops at the Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Vom, on April 11, 2026.

The recovered rifle, loaded with 16 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, has been taken into military custody.

The body of the slain suspect was evacuated to Keystone Hospital, Vom, before being deposited at the mortuary, while troops intensified patrols around the institute to prevent further attacks and reassure residents.

The latest incident marks the third attempted attack on the NIPSS facility within weeks, underscoring persistent security concerns around the institution.

Recall that on June 16, gunmen attacked security personnel guarding the Moderator’s Quarters at NIPSS, killing Inspector Peter Joseph of the Force Headquarters Operations Department and two military personnel.

The attackers reportedly escaped with the inspector’s service pistol and two military rifles.

Similarly, on June 29, troops and other security agencies foiled another attempted infiltration after detecting suspicious movements around the institute, forcing the suspects to flee into nearby bushes.

Security sources said the recovery of the rifle stolen during the April attack could provide a major lead in ongoing investigations into armed militia activities in the Kuru-Vom axis, suggesting possible links between recent attacks on security personnel in the area.

Military authorities have since reinforced security around NIPSS, with surveillance operations and aggressive patrols ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects.

The operation forms part of broader efforts by Operation Enduring Peace to dismantle armed militia networks and strengthen security across Plateau State.