In what security analysts are calling a decisive turning point in the battle against terror gangs in Southern Taraba, troops of 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have captured yet another high-value kidnapping kingpin, barely 24 hours after the first arrest.
The dramatic breakthrough occurred on 23 November 2025, when troops, acting on actionable intelligence, stormed a suspected escape route and intercepted Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, a man security operatives describe as “one of the silent but most dangerous wires powering Taraba’s kidnap economy.”
Bawa, believed to be the closest operational ally of Umar Musa, the notorious syndicate leader arrested on 22 November 2025, was allegedly coordinating logistics, ransom channels, and criminal intelligence for the network.
Military investigators say both men are “deep veins of the same criminal bloodstream”, tied to multiple abductions, ambushes, and violent raids across Southern Taraba.
Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, applauded the troops for the swift, precision-driven strike, describing the arrest as “another surgical extraction of a hardened criminal orchestrator.”
According to him: “The arrest of Bawa is unmistakable proof that Operation Zafin Wuta is tightening the noose around these syndicates. We are taking them down piece by piece until none is left standing.”
Reaffirming the Brigade’s resolve, General Uwa declared:
“No criminal, no matter how connected or elusive will outrun justice. Not in this operation, not at this tempo.”
Security experts say the back-to-back arrests signal a crippling blow to the syndicate’s command structure, with troops now intensifying pursuit of the remaining cells scattered across the region.
Residents are urged to stay vigilant and supply credible intelligence as the military pushes further into remote terrains long exploited by criminal gangs.
Bawa is currently in military custody undergoing rigorous interrogation, with officials confident that his arrest will “unlock” more intelligence trails leading to other fugitives.
