Troops of 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army’s Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have neutralised two suspected armed bandits during a tactical operation in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The operation, conducted on May 24, 2026, followed credible intelligence reports of gunshots heard in a forest near the “Welcome to Donga” signpost in Akate District.

According to a statement issued on Monday by Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, troops swiftly mobilised to the area and carried out a tactical raid on the suspected hideout.

The statement said the troops encountered armed assailants upon arrival, leading to a gun duel during which two of the suspected criminals were neutralised.

Items recovered from the scene included one AK-47 rifle, five rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two AK-47 magazines, two mobile phones, and other personal belongings.

Commander of 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Michael Akaliro, commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response during the operation.

He urged the soldiers to sustain the ongoing operational tempo in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff to rid the state of criminal activities.

Akaliro also stated that the military’s reward and sanction policy would apply to the troops involved in the successful mission. He reassured residents of Taraba State of the army’s commitment to maintaining pressure on criminal elements until peace and security are fully restored across the state.

Bandits have abducted 13 residents of Tangaram Village in Wasagu District of Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State following a midnight attack on the community.

Residents said the attackers stormed the village at about 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, firing sporadically before breaking into homes and whisking victims away toward the Zamfara border.

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Monday, saying the abducted residents were still in captivity while rescue operations continued across the area.

Police spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said preliminary investigations showed that all the victims were adult male residents of the village.

“The abducted persons are still in captivity following the attack on Tangaram Village, Danko/Wasagu LGA,” he said.

Usman added that police tactical teams, in collaboration with vigilante groups and other security agencies, had intensified coordinated rescue operations along border communities linking Kebbi and Zamfara states.

He said the operations were aimed at securing the safe release of the victims and apprehending those responsible for the attack.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as terrifying, saying the attackers arrived on motorcycles and shot into the air before forcing their way into houses.

The source added that Tangaram and neighbouring communities had suffered repeated attacks due to their proximity to forest corridors linking Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger states.

Residents said recurring attacks in Danko/Wasagu had led to several abductions in recent months, with some victims reportedly released after payment of ransom.

The death of a 17-year-old boy, identified as Sesugh, has sparked outrage in Benue State, with activist and social commentator Ukan Kurugh accusing the police of attempting to distort facts surrounding the incident.

Kurugh, in a statement shared online, alleged that the teenager was killed “in broad daylight” in the presence of witnesses, stressing that the victim’s family is now enduring more pain due to what he described as false narratives and efforts to cover up the truth.

He criticised the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, accusing the command of focusing on propaganda rather than ensuring justice for the deceased teenager.

“A young boy died, a mother is crying herself to sleep. A family has been thrown into permanent pain yet your priority is propaganda instead of justice,” he stated.

The activist further alleged that security authorities were trying to shield influential persons while ordinary citizens continue to suffer, insisting that no official explanation can silence “the voice of innocent blood.”

The incident has continued to generate reactions across the state, with several residents demanding an independent probe into the circumstances that led to the teenager’s death.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command had earlier stated that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi, arrested three suspects James Onuh, Atser Sesugh, and Solomon Aondoakura Orhena on April 28, 2026, over alleged fraud and cybercrime activities.

According to the police, the suspects later escaped from lawful custody at the EFCC facility in Makurdi on May 4, 2026, before going into hiding.

However, Kurugh maintained that justice must be served, warning that “all evil has an expiry date and time.”