Army kill one bandit, arrest 23 others with arms in Taraba

From Victor Gai  Jalingo

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have engaged some bandits in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba, killing one and arresting 23 with a large cache of arms. 

According to Spokesman of the brigade,  Captain Olubodunde Oni, the troops, acting on intelligence reports on Sunday, engaged the bandits in a shoot out resulting in the death of one of them  and arrest of others.

The statement read: "acting on credible intelligence regarding the movement of suspected bandits, the gallant troops conducted a fighting patrol to the identified hideout. 

"On sighting the patrol team, the bandits opened fire, prompting an immediate and overwhelming response from the troops. 

"In the ensuing firefight, one bandit was neutralized, while 23 others including 19 males and 4 females surrendered without further resistance. 

"A comprehensive search of the camp led to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including, 4 AK-47 rifles, 5 AK-47 rifle magazines, 80 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 1 English made pistol, 2 locally made guns, 28 cutlasses, 16 motorcycles, 48 daggers and jack knives. 

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the bandits, originally from Plateau State, had paid a local chief in Amar village the sum of ₦1,500,000 to acquire and establish their camp in the area".  

The Commander 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, while speaking on the operation, encouraged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to security agencies, emphasizing the critical role of community cooperation in the fight against banditry and other forms of criminality.