Army Destroy Bandit Hideouts, Arrest Fake Soldier, Recover Weapons in Taraba
In a major boost to ongoing military efforts in Taraba State, troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have dismantled bandit camps, arrested high-profile suspects—including a wanted kidnapper and a fake military officer—and recovered a cache of weapons and military gear in a series of strategic operations under Operation Lafiyan Jamaa.
This development was disclosed in a press statement signed and made available to newsmen by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Olubodunde Oni, on Friday.
The coordinated crackdown, which spanned Lau, Donga, Bali, and Gassol local government areas, reflects the Nigerian Army’s intensified campaign to restore peace and dismantle criminal networks operating in the region.
In one daring operation on April 16, 2025, troops swiftly responded to a distress call from a local hunter and stormed a suspected bandits’ enclave at Dutsen Kachalla in Lainde, Lau LGA. Though the criminals fled into the mountainous terrain, troops recovered an AK-47 rifle butt, an AK-47 magazine, military headgear, and a national ID card belonging to one Adamu Umaru Jauro.
Days later, on April 19, troops acting on intelligence apprehended a notorious suspect, Yusuf Hammadu, alias Dogo, in Lainde Jessy. A known figure on security watchlists, Dogo confessed during preliminary interrogation to being part of a kidnapping syndicate that has terrorized Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau, and Yorro LGAs.
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In a related operation on April 22, troops arrested one Richard Ongu for impersonating a serving Major in the Nigerian Army. Ongu, who claimed to be a discharged Air Force Flight Sergeant, was discovered to have defrauded multiple victims by posing as an officer. His fraudulent exploits included exchanging a Nissan Jeep for a Toyota Corolla worth ₦5.2 million, collecting ₦1.6 million as a deposit for 350 bags of sesame seeds, and soliciting bribes under the pretense of recruiting locals into the Nigerian Army. He also posed as the Officer Commanding the Forward Operating Base in Bali and attempted to illegally acquire firearms for community leaders. He remains in military custody pending transfer for prosecution.
On April 24, another successful raid in Jatau-Nyimu village, Donga LGA, led to the recovery of 86 rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, a Tarvor magazine, four cartridges, three single-barrel guns, military uniforms, and a Beofeng radio handset.
Reacting to the series of operations, Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, praised the troops for their professionalism and resolve. He reaffirmed the Army’s dedication to maintaining law and order in Taraba State and urged residents to continue providing timely, actionable intelligence.
He also warned the public against falling prey to scammers who demand payments for military recruitment, stressing that enlistment into the Nigerian Army is free, voluntary, and strictly merit-based.
These recent breakthroughs underscore the Army’s growing momentum in restoring peace to Taraba and eliminating threats posed by criminal elements across the state.
By PRNigeria
