In a coordinated offensive, troops from the Nigerian Army’s 6 Brigade and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke neutralized a bandit and recovered weapons during a clearance mission in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The operation, which was prompted by actionable intelligence on bandit activities, led to a fierce gun battle, resulting in the death of one assailant and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle.
Captain Olubodunde Oni, spokesperson for the 6 Brigade, revealed in a statement on Saturday that troops had been strategically deployed from their base in Kwesati after receiving credible information on the movement of criminal elements.
“Troops stationed at Kwesati were deployed and tactically established a position along a suspected crossing route.
“During the operation, the troops made contact with the criminals and engaged them with superior firepower.
“The intensity of the engagement forced the bandits to flee in disarray, with several suspected to have escaped into the surrounding forest with gunshot wounds. One bandit was neutralized during the encounter.
“Following the operation, troops conducted a thorough exploitation of the area and recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47 magazine containing three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle, and two mobile phones,” he said.
Commander of the 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, commended the troops for their bravery and tactical precision in the operation.
He reaffirmed the military’s commitment to ongoing counter-banditry efforts, stating that aggressive operations would be sustained until all threats in the region are eliminated.
He also appealed to residents to maintain collaboration with security forces, “He encouraged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts in ridding the state of criminal elements.”
