The gunmen were suspected to be amongst the miscreants fermenting trouble in Mangu LGA.

A team from Operation Safe Haven, the military unit maintaining peace in Plateau State on Tuesday killed three suspected bandits around Pushit, a community in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State.

There has been an orgy of reprisal attacks in Mangu and surrounding communities between pastoralists, who are mostly Fulanis and other farming communities since March.

Scores of people have been killed and several properties destroyed.

The spokesperson of the unit, Oya James, confirmed the incident in a statement.

He said the incident occurred while soldiers were responding to a distress call in the area. He said the gunmen were suspected to be amongst the miscreants formenting trouble in Mangu LGA.

"Troops professionally and decisively cleared the ambush neutralising 3 of the bandits in the process and recovered 3 x AK 47 Rifles,14 rounds of 7.62 Special rounds, 1 x Motorcycle and a Constabulary Police ID card while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

"The Commander Operations SAFE HAVEN and General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, Major General AE Abubakar reiterated that the Nigerian Army remains resolute in the discharge of its mandate within the ambits of the law and would continue to be firm, bold, decisive and just.

"He said that the protection of lives and property of citizens remains paramount and that with the redeployment of his Headquarters to Mangu LGA, all distress calls would be responded to promptly as several Combat Teams have been dispatched to remote areas in the Local Government for enhanced rapid response," he added.