Mohamed Garba
Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, operating under Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke in partnership with Operation Safe Haven, neutralised two suspected bandits and recovered approximately 1,000 rustled cattle during a counter-banditry operation near Jebjeb village in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Acting on credible intelligence that over 30 armed men on motorcycles had crossed into Taraba from Plateau State to attack a Fulani settlement, the troops mounted a swift and coordinated response that culminated in a fierce firefight across the river boundary into Daji Madam Forest.
Troops deployed from the Kampani area of Wase LGA, Plateau State, advanced to Komodoro village in Karim Lamido LGA before making contact with the fleeing bandits. Upon engagement, the soldiers neutralised two of the assailants, demonstrating precision and discipline under fire.
During the encounter, nearly one thousand stolen cattle were located and secured by the troops. The recovered livestock were immediately herded to safety and relocated to the Jebjeb community, where verification procedures are now underway to identify and return them to their rightful owners.
Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, commended the rapid and unified action of the forces involved, highlighting the effective synergy between Operation Whirl Stroke and Operation Safe Haven personnel. He reaffirmed the Brigade’s unwavering commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal elements that threaten regional peace and security.
In his statement, Brigadier General Uwa called on residents of Taraba and neighbouring states to continue providing timely and accurate intelligence to security agencies, stressing that civilian cooperation remains vital to the success of ongoing counter-banditry operations.
This latest success forms part of an intensified campaign under Operation Whirl Stroke and Operation Safe Haven to dismantle bandit networks in North-Central and North-East Nigeria, building on recent recoveries and arrests that have disrupted criminal syndicates across multiple LGAs.
The operation underscores the Nigerian Army’s resolve to protect vulnerable communities and secure livelihoods against the scourge of cattle rustling and banditry.