By Ben Adaji, Jalingo
In a decisive escalation of counter-kidnapping operations in Southern Taraba, troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested another high-profile kidnap mastermind, delivering a major blow to criminal networks destabilizing the region.
The suspect, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, was tracked down and captured on November 23, 2025, during a precision-led offensive as he attempted to escape Wukari. His arrest comes barely 24 hours after troops apprehended his ally and notorious syndicate leader, Umar Musa, in the same area.
Lt. Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, confirmed the breakthrough on Tuesday, describing it as a “strategic success in the ongoing Operation Zafin Wuta aimed at wiping out entrenched criminal structures across Southern Taraba.”
Preliminary intelligence gathered during the operation reveals that Bawa and Musa are not just associates but key anchors of a wider kidnapping and violent-crime network linked to serial abductions, coordinated attacks, and large-scale criminal operations in the Wukari–Donga axis.
Commander of the 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, hailed the operation as another validation of the Army’s growing dominance over criminal elements in the state.
“The arrest of Bawa is proof that our operational pressure is yielding results. These networks are being dismantled node by node, and none of their masterminds will evade justice,” Gen. Uwa declared.
He added that the Brigade remains on high alert and fully committed to maintaining operational momentum until every kidnap cell operating in the region is neutralized.
The Army emphasized that Operation Zafin Wuta is entering a more aggressive phase, with intelligence-driven raids, deep-reconnaissance missions, and community-supported surveillance tightening the noose around remaining criminal hideouts.
Residents were urged to remain vigilant and continue supplying actionable intelligence to security agencies as investigations into the syndicate’s operations intensify.
Bawa is currently in military custody undergoing further interrogation.