Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have apprehended a notorious kidnapping kingpin, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, in Southern Taraba.
The arrest was made on Saturday, November 23, 2025, as part of the ongoing clearance campaign, Operation Zafin Wuta, designed to root out criminal elements terrorizing communities in the area.
The suspect was captured while attempting to flee from the Wukari Local Government Area.
This arrest marks a major breakthrough in dismantling a dangerous criminal network. Preliminary investigations reveal that Alhaji Abubakar Bawa is a key associate of Mr. Umar Musa, another high-profile kidnapping mastermind arrested by the same Brigade just a day earlier, on November 22.
The two are believed to be central figures in a wider syndicate responsible for a spate of kidnappings, violent attacks, and other coordinated criminal activities that have plagued Southern Taraba.
In a statement, the Commander of 6 Brigade/Sector 3 OPWS, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their “professionalism, resilience, and operational precision.”
He stated that the successful capture of Bawa is “a clear indication that Operation Zafin Wuta is achieving its intended objective of dismantling criminal syndicates and restoring security to affected communities.”
Brigadier General Uwa reaffirmed the Brigade’s unwavering commitment to sustaining the aggressive clearance operations, warning that “no criminal element will be allowed to escape justice as long as these operations continue at the current momentum.”
The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation to uncover more details about his network and operations.
The Nigerian Army is urging residents to remain vigilant and to continue providing credible information to security agencies to aid in the ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace to the region.
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