Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Security operatives have arrested two suspects in connection with the attempted attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State, as investigations into the incident deepen.
The suspects were apprehended by troops of Operation Enduring Peace during an intelligence-led operation in the Trade Centre area of Jos South Local Government Area on July 4.
Security sources said one of the suspects was identified as Aboi, while the identity of the second individual has not been disclosed.
The duo is currently being questioned as investigators seek information that could lead to the arrest of other members of the group linked to the attack.
“The suspects are being exploited for further intelligence that could lead to the arrest of other members of the group involved in the attack,” a security source said.
The arrests followed a failed assault on the NIPSS facility on July 2, when troops engaged armed assailants in a gun battle. One attacker was killed during the confrontation, while others reportedly fled into surrounding rocky terrain.
During the operation, security personnel recovered a service rifle with registration number CO-3175. Military authorities said the weapon had been stolen from a soldier killed during an attack on troops at the Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Vom, in April.
The recovery of the rifle prompted investigators to expand inquiries into possible links between recent attacks on security personnel within the Kuru-Vom axis.
The identity of the slain attacker has generated debate. While earlier reports linked him to an armed militia group, the Berom Youth Moulders-Association rejected the claim and urged security agencies and journalists to rely on verified information.
Its president, Barrister Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, maintained that neither the identity nor ethnicity of the deceased had been independently confirmed.
Security sources, however, said the latest arrests in the Trade Centre area have provided fresh leads and strengthened efforts to uncover those responsible for the attempted attack.
Military authorities have yet to issue an official statement identifying the suspects or announcing any formal charges, while investigations continue.
