Troops from the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have arrested a notorious bandit, Yusuf Hammadu, also known as “Dogo,” in the Lainde Jessy area of Lau Local Government Area, Taraba State.
Hammadu, a key figure on the security agencies’ watchlist, is believed to have been involved in numerous kidnappings and other criminal activities.
His arrest came after a targeted, intelligence-driven operation on April 19.
Capt. Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Brigade, confirmed the arrest in a statement released in Jalingo on Friday.
During preliminary questioning, Hammadu reportedly admitted to being part of a criminal group responsible for several abductions and ransom negotiations across Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau, and Yorro Local Government Areas.
In another operation, the Army arrested Richard Ongu, a man accused of impersonating a serving Major in the Nigerian Army.
Ongu was apprehended on April 22 after claiming he had been posted to the 20 Model Battalion in Gashaka.
However, he later confessed to being a dismissed Flight Sergeant from the Nigerian Air Force.
He is suspected of defrauding several individuals by posing as a military officer.
Ongu is expected to be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.
Additionally, on April 16, troops raided a suspected bandit camp in Dutsen Kachalla, Lau LGA, following a distress call.
While the bandits managed to escape into nearby hills, soldiers recovered an AK-47 rifle butt, a magazine, a military headgear, and a National Identity Card belonging to an individual named Adamu Umaru Jauro.
On April 24, a joint operation involving Army troops and operatives from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) led to the recovery of 86 rounds of 5.6mm ammunition and a Tarvor magazine in Jatau-Nyimu village, Donga LGA.