In a fierce showdown in Taraba State, Nigerian troops and local security forces stormed the den of terror, killing at least 20 heavily armed bandits and reclaiming dozens of rustled cattle in a dramatic operation that left communities cheering.
The high-octane assault unfolded in the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025, after a distress call reported a brazen attack on Gina Rumbu and Garau villages near Old Muri.
Eyewitnesses told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert, that about 15 motorcycles stormed the communities, unleashing chaos as the bandits beat residents and fled with their livestock.
Swift to respond, troops from the military base in Jeb Jeb sprang into action, racing to Komodoro village where they expertly sealed off a key escape route leading to Plateau State. Reinforcements from Andamin joined in, setting the stage for a devastating ambush.
Caught in the dragnet, the unsuspecting bandits walked straight into a hail of bullets. A blistering gunfight ensued, leaving nearly 20 of the assailants lifeless on the forest floor. The stolen cattle were rescued and triumphantly returned to their rightful owners.
One brave vigilante, Lawal Jabu, sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh and was promptly evacuated to the Primary Healthcare Centre in Andamin, where he is receiving treatment.
Security sources hailed the operation as a major victory in the ongoing war against rural banditry in Taraba State.
