Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Nigerian Army has intensified its counter-banditry efforts across Taraba State, achieving notable success under the ongoing Operation Lafiya Nakowa—a mission designed to flush out hibernating bandits and other criminal elements from the state’s troubled zones. Acting on actionable intelligence, troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army / Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) carried out coordinated clearance operations across identified bandits’ enclaves in Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas.
As an investigative journalist with years of coverage on security operations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, this latest offensive follows a familiar pattern of coordinated military maneuvers intended to disrupt rural insurgent networks that have plagued border communities between Taraba and Benue. The renewed push, sources confirm, signals the Army’s resolve to dismantle long-standing criminal corridors used by armed groups for extortion, ambushes, and farmland destruction.
According to official reports, the operation commenced on October 5, 2025, after credible intelligence indicated the movement and gathering of armed bandits around Tarhembe, Tornyi, TY Farm, and Kando in Tati district, Takum LGA. Reports of farmland destruction in neighboring Ussa LGA further prompted simultaneous tactical responses by multiple teams.
Team A advanced into Tarhembe and Tornyi, where troops encountered resistance from bandits attempting to hold their ground. However, superior Army firepower forced the criminals to retreat deeper into the forest. During the subsequent sweep, soldiers recovered four rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one AK-47 magazine, and a motorcycle, believed to have been used for reconnaissance or escape.
Meanwhile, Team B conducted clearance operations across Lissam in Ussa LGA, moving through Kutukok, Konkan, Fank Utaih, Kijwu, Kutukwo, Kwesati, and Alaha. Although no direct engagement occurred, the troops destroyed several abandoned bandit camps and hideouts, effectively cutting off potential resupply and regrouping points for the criminals.
In a statement issued by Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, he commended the troops for their courage, discipline, and resilience. He assured residents that the Nigerian Army remains steadfast in its mission to restore lasting peace across Taraba and the surrounding regions.
“The clearance operations have disrupted the activities of criminal elements, denied them freedom of action, and reassured local communities of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property,” General Uwa stated.
He further appealed to locals to continue providing credible and timely intelligence to aid ongoing security efforts, noting that civilian cooperation remains crucial in sustaining operational success.
Security experts have interpreted the operation as part of a broader regional strategy aimed at curbing cross-border insurgent activity and rural banditry that have destabilized agrarian communities. The simultaneous strikes in Takum and Ussa, they believe, mark a turning point in military coordination across Taraba’s southern flank—an area long viewed as a tactical haven for armed gangs.
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