Nigerian Army, consisting of six Brigades and Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), led by Kingsley Uwa on Thursday rescued the victims of 18-seater bus hijacked by armed militias in Taraba State.
The ugly incident took place on Tuesday at Gamkwe Village along Maraban-Baisa in Donga Local Government Area which led to the disappearance of 15 passengers, including a baby, after the driver and conductor narrowly escaped death.
The military personnel rescued the victims and reunited them with their families.
In a statement reported, it was described that “One of the key incidents that prompted the military response was an attack on an 18-seater bus at Gamkwe Village along Maraban-Baisa in Donga Local Government Area, resulting in the disappearance of 15 passengers, including a baby.”
After a long search and tight security around the villages of Gankwe, Aakar, Gidan Adamu, and Magudu, the joint army rescued three female victims and recovered eight bodies, along with a baby and four motorcycles.
The statement read that upon receiving information about the wear and tear of the armed militias around Sanso village in Donga Local Government Area, the troops swung into action at the location
It was further disclosed earlier that the terrorist group “arrived at Sanso through Anu village using a wooden canoe via the River Donga before carrying out their nefarious attack.”
Adding to that, armed men made away with valuable items such as “motorcycles, and kidnapped several villagers.“
In retaliation, “the troops engaged in a pursuit operation, resulting in the successful rescue of three female kidnapping victims and the recovery of four motorcycles, along with significant quantities of grains. The military forces also took action to disrupt the activities of the armed militias in the area.
“The operations carried out by the Nigerian Army and Operation Whirl Stroke demonstrate a commitment to maintaining security and peace in Taraba, effectively combating threats posed by violent extremists and criminal elements in the region.”
However, the Chairman of Donga Local Government Area, Ezra Voka, on behalf of his people assured “the military of continuous and prompt information and intelligence support” and as well appreciated the force men for their quick response to restoring peace to the communities.
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While speaking to the Chairman and other local leaders at the Local Government Secretariat, General Uwa urged local leaders and elites, both domestically and internationally, to work together to find alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in order to permanently address the negative trends.
This is in contrast to the jungle justice systems that the local tribes have adopted, which frequently resulted in retaliation, causing the loss of innocent villagers’ lives and property. “A line must be drawn going forward for long-lasting peace to be achieved in the region,” Uwa started.
