Nigerian troops conducting joint operations in Southern Taraba have destroyed multiple bandit hideouts and forced fleeing fighters across the border into Benue State, military sources said on Thursday.
The coordinated offensive part of Operation Peace Shield and Operation Zafin Wuta was executed by combined forces from the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke. According to field sources, the mission targeted a network of bandit enclaves in and around Shiid village, the Tor-Tser general area, Likam Mountain, Agia village and Tyozua village in Takum Local Government Area.
The operation began at 0207 hours on December 7, following what officials described as credible intelligence on the presence and activities of armed groups believed to be using the mountainous terrain as a safe haven.
To maximize impact, troops were divided into two elements. Team A established a blocking position around Tor-Tser to cut off escape routes, while Team B, serving as the assault team, advanced toward Shiid village near Likam Mountain.
“On sighting the troops, the bandits fled deep into the mountain, abandoning two major camps. The camps were searched, cleared, and destroyed,” one source familiar with the operation said.
Investigators later learned that the bandits had previously boasted that security forces would be unable to access their hideouts within the rugged mountain range an assumption the military says this operation has now proven false.
The military has not yet disclosed casualty figures or whether any arrests were made, but officials say clearance operations in the area are ongoing.