Troops of the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, and Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have killed a notorious bandit leader and recovered a cache of arms during a raid on his hideout in Angwan Bala, Kambari area of Karim Lamido Local Government Area Taraba State.
The Commander, 6 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
He said the operation conducted on Sunday followed credible intelligence on the movement of suspected bandits in the area.
Uwa said: “On arrival at the hideout, the troops encountered resistance as the bandits opened fire.
“However, the soldiers overpowered them, leading to the neutralization of one bandit while 23 others, including 19 males and four females, surrendered.
“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 fabricated guns, 28 cutlasses, 48 daggers, and jack knives, and 16 motorcycles.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the bandits, originally from Plateau State, had paid a local chief in Amar village the sum of ₦1.5 million to establish their camp in the area.
“This operation is a testament to our resolve to eliminate criminal elements and prevent Taraba from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.”
The commander urged the people of the state to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies in the domain.