Taraba: Troops arrest female informant, recover AK-47 in anti-kidnapping raid

Troops of 6 Brigade/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have apprehended a suspected female informant for kidnappers in Taraba State.

According to a statement released to journalists early Sunday in Jalingo, the state capital, the female suspect was arrested on September 6, 2024, by troops in Sondi village, Wukari Local Government Area.

The statement, signed by Captain Oni Olubodunde, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Brigade, identified the suspect as Miss Markus Grace. She was confirmed to be the girlfriend of a notorious kidnapper named Chen, who has been terrorizing the area.

“The suspect is currently in custody and undergoing further investigation to determine the extent of her involvement in various criminal activities,” the statement read.

Items recovered during the operation include an AK-47 rifle and a vehicle. The troops, committed to eradicating criminal elements in Taraba, accused Grace of aiding kidnappers and other criminals in the region.

In a separate operation, troops intercepted a Toyota Yaris vehicle with registration number Taraba KLD 652 XA, which was carrying an AK-47 rifle, an AK-47 magazine, and two National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) identity cards.

“During a routine stop-and-search patrol in Bantaje town, Wukari Local Government, on the evening of September 5, 2024, troops flagged down a suspicious blue Toyota Yaris vehicle coming from Wukari towards Jalingo. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into nearby bushes. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of an AK-47 rifle, an AK-47 magazine, and two NURTW identity cards belonging to Isa Ibrahim and Mallam Isa Garin Tukura,” the statement added.

The investigation is ongoing to trace and arrest the driver and determine the involvement of individuals connected to the identity cards.

Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of the 6 Brigade, praised the troops for their professionalism and swift action. He urged local residents to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely information to help prevent and combat criminal activities.