By Nkechi Eze
Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have intensified efforts to rid Taraba State of bandits and other criminal elements under the ongoing Operation LAFIYA NAKOWA. The troops conducted fresh clearance operations across identified bandits’ enclaves in Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of the state, leading to the recovery of arms and the destruction of criminal hideouts.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, the operations were launched following credible intelligence reports on bandits’ activities around Tarhembe, Tornyi, TY Farm, and Kando general areas in Tati, Takum LGA, as well as reports of farmland destruction in parts of Ussa LGA. Acting on the intelligence, troops simultaneously embarked on clearance operations in the affected areas on October 5, 2025.
Lieutenant Muhammad explained that Team A advanced into Tarhembe and Tornyi, where troops made contact with bandits. The criminals were forced to flee into the forest after a brief firefight as a result of the troops’ superior firepower. During subsequent exploitation, the soldiers recovered four rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one AK-47 magazine, and one motorcycle abandoned by the fleeing bandits.
Team B, which carried out operations around Lissam in Ussa LGA through Kutukok, Konkan, Fank Utaih, Kijwu, Kutukwo, Kwesati, and Alaha, also cleared several suspected hideouts without encountering resistance. Nonetheless, the troops destroyed identified camps within the areas to deny the criminals freedom of action and disrupt their movement.
The Commander, 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their courage and professionalism during the operations. He urged members of the public to continue to support security agencies with credible and timely information that could help sustain the momentum of ongoing counter-banditry efforts across the state.
General Uwa noted that the clearance operations have further disrupted the activities of criminal groups, denied them operational freedom, and reassured residents of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property in Taraba State.
