Troops of the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have uncovered a cache of dangerous weapons and other military-grade equipment during a cordon-and-search operation in Ikyaior village, a border community between Benue and Taraba States.
The operation, carried out on Saturday, September 6, followed credible intelligence alleging that one Terhemen Nzagha, popularly known as “Full Fire,” was harbouring armed criminals in Sabon-Gida Leke, a settlement within the community in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Brigade, the troops stormed the area and conducted a thorough search that led to the recovery of assorted weapons and other items.
The cache included five Special Forces face caps, three AK-47 magazines, three FN rifle magazines, three rifle slings, two FN rifle breech blocks and slides, one AK-47 firing mechanism, two FN rifle stocks, two FN rifle springs, one mini-telescopic sight, one AK-47 rifle butt, one FN rifle bag, one badminton bag, two charms, and one flashlight.
Although the suspected criminals had fled the scene before the troops’ arrival, the Army said the operation further exposed how bandits and criminal gangs stockpile weapons in rural settlements along Nigeria’s volatile border corridors.
Brigadier-General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of the 6 Brigade and Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), praised the troops for their swift and decisive action, noting that such efforts were crucial in dismantling criminal networks across Taraba and neighbouring states.
“The Army remains vigilant, proactive, and determined to rid Taraba State of criminal elements. We urge the public to continue to provide useful, credible and timely information to security agencies,” Uwa said.
Security experts say the discovery underscores the growing challenge of arms proliferation across Nigeria. According to a 2021 UNODC report, Nigeria is home to over six million illicit small arms and light weapons, fuelling violent crimes, communal clashes, and insurgency across the country.
The development also comes amid renewed concerns over escalating banditry and terror attacks in parts of the North, with communities in Taraba and Benue repeatedly caught in cycles of violence and displacement.
The Nigerian Army assured that follow-up operations have been launched to track down Nzagha and his alleged criminal gang, while efforts are ongoing to secure the border communities and prevent further stockpiling of arms in the area.
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