OPEP Commander Moves to End Revenge Killings, Misinformation in Mangu
By Zagazola Makama
The Commander, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), Major General W.M. Dangana, has called on the Mwaghavul Youth Movement (MYM) in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State to abandon the cycle of revenge attacks and work with security agencies towards restoring lasting peace in the state.
Major General Dangana made the call on Sunday, August 23, 2026, during a stakeholders’ engagement with the executive members of the MYM at the Multipurpose Hall of the Tactical Headquarters, Joint Task Force OPEP, in Mangu.
The meeting formed part of the command’s non-kinetic efforts to address the underlying causes of insecurity and strengthen community cooperation within the Joint Operations Area.
The engagement was aimed particularly at addressing recurring retaliatory attacks between indigenous communities and Fulani residents, as well as the spread of misinformation capable of escalating tensions.
Addressing the youth leaders, the OPEP Commander urged them to set aside differences and collaborate with security agencies to restore peace and stability across Mangu and Plateau State.
He challenged the youths to become peace ambassadors within their communities and use their influence to discourage violence, retaliation and the dissemination of unverified information.
The commander also encouraged the youth movement to support the actualisation of rural security initiatives designed to strengthen early warning mechanisms, community engagement and cooperation with security agencies.
Major General Dangana further used the engagement to clarify what he described as several misconceptions surrounding ongoing security operations in Mangu.
He assured the MYM executive members that Operation HARD KNOCK would serve as an important tool in consolidating peace and security in Mangu Local Government Area.
The commander stressed that military operations alone could not guarantee sustainable peace, noting that the cooperation of communities, particularly young people, remained critical to preventing violence and rebuilding trust.
He urged the youth leaders to reject narratives capable of inflaming ethnic tensions and instead promote dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
The meeting was attended by the Special Adviser on Security to the Plateau State Government; the Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area; the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force OPEP; members of the Mwaghavul Youth Movement and representatives of the National President of the MDA, among other stakeholders.
The stakeholders’ engagement emphasizes OPEP’s increasing emphasis on combining kinetic operations with community dialogue, confidence-building and early intervention mechanisms to address the persistent security challenges in Plateau State.
The Military high command said sustained collaboration between security agencies, traditional and community leaders and youth organisations remains essential to breaking the cycle of violence and creating conditions for lasting peace in Mangu and the wider Plateau State.
