The Nigerian Army has scored a string of victories in the fight against crime in Taraba State, arresting key suspects and seizing arms during a series of operations led by the 6 Brigade and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke.
These operations fall under Operation LAFIYAN JAMAA, which seeks to rid the region of banditry and other security threats.
The Army disclosed that on April 16, troops responded to a tip-off from a hunter and moved into a suspected bandit location at Dutsen Kachalla in Lau Local Government.
Although the criminals fled, soldiers recovered weapons components and an ID belonging to a suspected bandit named Adamu Umaru Jauro.
On April 19, troops apprehended Yusuf Hammadu, alias “Dogo,” a known kidnapping suspect, at Lainde Jessy.
His arrest was based on reliable intelligence. Authorities have tied him to a notorious syndicate responsible for multiple abductions and ransom demands across various parts of the state.
Further reinforcing their success, soldiers arrested a fake Army officer, Richard Ongu, on April 22. Ongu, who was discharged from the Nigerian Air Force in 2019, had been posing as a Major and using the guise to defraud people.
He duped a car dealer by trading an old vehicle for a newer one worth N5.2 million and solicited N1.6 million for bogus agricultural goods.
He also tricked families in Bali and Gassol by pretending to enlist their children in the military and trying to illegally acquire firearms.
A final operation on April 24 in Donga LGA, executed jointly with DIA agents, led to the discovery of a stockpile of ammunition, guns, military gear, and communication equipment in Jatau-Nyimu village.
Commending the troops, Brig.-Gen. Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa praised their diligence and assured residents of the Army’s determination to restore peace.
He also issued a stern warning to citizens against engaging with fraudulent individuals who solicit money for recruitment, reiterating that the Army’s enlistment process is both free and based strictly on merit.
