An infamous bandit commander in Benue State’s Ukum Local Government Area has been taken into custody by soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 6 Brigade/Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Wukari.
Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Lt. Umar Muhammad, announced the arrest in a statement on Monday.
In the continuous battle against crime in the area, he characterized the operation as a significant advancement.
The statement claims that the suspect, Fidelis Gayama, is a high-value target who security forces have been pursuing for a long time due to his suspected participation in several kidnapping and armed robbery crimes along the Benue–Taraba axis.
Lt.Muhammad said the arrest was carried out on Monday during a precision, intelligence-driven operation conducted at Vaase Community in Ukum LGA.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is closely linked to Aka Dogo, a wanted armed group leader operating in the area.
“The suspect is currently in military custody and will be handed over to the appropriate authority for comprehensive investigation and prosecution in line with extant laws,” the statement said.
Commending the troops, the Commander of 6 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Kingsley Uwa, praised their professionalism, discipline and operational precision, describing the arrest as a significant blow to criminal networks in the area.
Gen.Uwa reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to sustaining offensive operations to ensure the safety of lives and property across the operational area. He also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing security efforts.
