Four suspected armed bandits en-route to purchase food items for their colleagues have been arrested in Taraba state.

The arrest which was made on August 6, 2024, in Karim-Lamido local government council of the state, as gathered by The Guardian, was made by the troops of the 6 Brigade in Taraba.

The suspected bandits who were en route to Mashingi Village market in Karim-Lamido were identified as Yusuf Hassan, Mohammed Mamman, Haruna Illa, and Hammadu Shaibu,

Acting Assistant Director of 6 Brigade Army Public Relations, Captain Oni Olubodunde, in a statement on Saturday said, a motorcycle, four mobile phones, and the sum of 57,000 Naira, were recovered from the arrested suspects.

Olubodunde highlighted the significant arrest made by the troops, also reported that seven additional suspected terrorists were apprehended by troops in the same local government council.

He said a cache of weapons was seized in separate operations across the state from bandits and the seven suspects who were alleged to be on their way to attack a Fulani settlement in Katlong Village of the council.

The Army said the action compelled the bandits to flee in disarray due to the heavy fire encounter with the army.

One of the bandits who was identified as Yusuf Musa was arrested. Items recovered from them are 1 AK 47 rifle and 20 rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition. And 118 cows which were confirmed to have been handed over to the rightful owners.

The Army was also observed to have clamped down on a large number of hoodlums in Jalingo, the state capital.

“Following a tip-off from a credible source on suspects gathering and preparing large numbers of Machetes suspected to be distributed to hoodlums for criminal activities with the plan to cause unrest within the State, troops swiftly mobilized to the general area of Magami in Jalingo Local Government Area where 2 suspects named Umar Zubair and Isah Abdulahi were arrested with 436 Machetes.

Other items also confirmed to have been recovered from them include four filling machines, one mobile phone, and several other fabrication tools.

Overwhelmed by the troops achievements, the Commander, 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, commended the troops for their dedication and swift action in ensuring the safety of the people of Taraba.

He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to maintaining peace and security across the country and urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

Uwa, who was of the view that the Nigerian Army will continue to work closely with other security agencies and community leaders to eradicate all forms of criminal activities within Taraba State and its environs, assured the public that the arrested suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution. (The Guardian)

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