Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have dismantled a notorious bandit camp in Taraba, neutralising one bandit and recovering a large cache of arms.
Capt. Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, disclosed this in a statement released in Jalingo on Monday.
According to Oni, the operation was carried out on Feb. 2 in Angwan Bala, Kambari general area of Karim Lamido Local Government Area, following intelligence on the movement of suspected bandits.
“On sighting the patrol team, the bandits opened fire, prompting an immediate and overwhelming response from the troops. In the firefight, one bandit was neutralised, while 23 others—19 males and four females—surrendered without resistance,” he stated.
A search of the camp led to the recovery of four AK-47 rifles, five AK-47 magazines, 80 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, an English-made pistol, two locally made guns, 28 cutlasses, 48 daggers and jack knives, and 16 motorcycles.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the bandits, originally from Plateau State, had paid ₦1.5 million to a local chief in Amar village to establish the camp.
Brig.-Gen. Kingsley Uwa, Commander of the 6 Brigade, reaffirmed the military’s commitment to eliminating criminal elements in the region.
“This operation underscores our resolve to restore lasting peace and prevent Taraba from becoming a safe haven for terrorists,” Uwa said, urging the public to report suspicious activities to security agencies.
