Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the immediate deployment of the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion, a special forces unit, to Plateau State in north-central Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army said the troops have already arrived in the state and have been directed to respond aggressively to what it described as a renewed wave of terrorist attacks. Okay News reports that Plateau State has faced repeated security crises in recent years, with communities often reporting deadly raids and reprisals.
The deployment was announced in a statement dated Tuesday, February 10, 2026, and shared via the Nigerian Army’s official account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The statement was signed by Captain Chinonso Oteh, the Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace.
The statement said, “The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the immediate deployment of the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion of special forces to Plateau State.”
It added, “Receiving the troops at Headquarters 3 Division, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, Major General Folusho Oyinlola represented by the Chief of Staff, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Brigadier General Senlong Sule, welcomed the troops and urged them to be decisive and ruthless in carrying out offensive operations against the terrorists.”
The Nigerian Army’s leadership said the move could significantly strengthen efforts to restore security in the area, as authorities attempt to contain violence that has resurfaced in parts of Nigeria’s north-central region in 2026.
The latest deployment follows reports of killings in Plateau State. On Saturday, February 7, 2026, four people, including a woman, were reportedly killed in Ding’ak village in the Mushere district of Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State, amid claims that the attack involved suspected Fulani militia, according to local reports cited in the original account.
Meanwhile, Major General Folusho Oyinlola appealed to residents of Plateau State not to panic when they see increased troop movements and heavy military equipment. He also urged the public to continue supporting security operations by providing timely and actionable intelligence to help locate criminal elements and support efforts to restore peace.
