Troops foil terror plot in Taraba, arrest ISWAP member and other suspects

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have foiled a coordinated terror plot and arrested two suspected ...

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have foiled a coordinated terror plot and arrested two suspected terrorists in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. The arrests were made in separate intelligence-led operations carried out on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. In the first operation, troops deployed at Forwmard Operating Base (FOB) Wukari arrested one Felix Myina, 45, a native of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. Preliminary investigations revealed that Myina is a high-ranking member of a notorious bandit and kidnapping syndicate operating under a wanted criminal kingpin, known as Mcianan, also referred to as Yellow. The group has been linked to repeated attacks on motorists and residents along the JootarWukari axis. A Techno mobile phone was recovered from the suspect at the point of arrest. In a separate operation, another suspect, identified as Abubakar Yusuf, 26, was apprehended by troops while reportedly performing suspicious rituals at the Aku-Uka Palace Junction in Wukari town. Yusuf, a native of Borno State and resident of Gassol Local Government Area, is believed to be a member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to military sources, the suspect was attempting to spiritually tie the area to enable access for terrorist collaborators. Items recovered from him include a dead chicken, nine unhatched rotten eggs, an animal horn, a bottle containing powdered substance, and pieces of fresh meat. Both suspects are currently in military custody and assisting with ongoing investigations. Commander 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 OPWS, Brig.-Gen. Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the vigilance of troops and the cooperation of residents whose reports aided the operations. He urged the public to remain alert and to continue sharing timely information to support security agencies in flushing out criminal elements from the state. The Brigade remains resolute in its mandate to protect lives and restore peace and stability across the region, Uwa said.