Troops of the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, under Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), thwarted a suspected kidnapping and robbery attempt along the Wukari–Ikyaior Road in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
In a statement, the brigade’s Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, said the troops acted on a distress call reporting that criminals had blocked the road and were assaulting civilians. Soldiers deployed from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Wukari responded promptly to the alert.
On arrival, the suspects fled into nearby bushland on sighting the troops, abandoning their victims and escaping with their motorcycle.
The troops rescued two victims, identified as Mr Terso Kerso, 48, and Mr Udongu Terbo, 42, both from Ikyaior community in Wukari LGA. The men were unconscious at the time of rescue and were immediately evacuated to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari, for urgent medical treatment.
Following the incident, the army intensified patrols and surveillance across the area to deter further criminal activity and reassure residents and motorists of continued security presence.
The Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 OPWS, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their swift response and professionalism, noting that their timely action likely prevented loss of life.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustaining proactive operations within its area of responsibility and urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to support ongoing security efforts.