Army intercepts, destroys armoury of bandit kingpin, John Gata, in Taraba

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have intercepted the wife of a notorious criminal kingpin, John Gata, and dismantled a major arms cache in Amadu Village, Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.

A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that actionable intelligence revealed the suspect’s wife was travelling from Amadu Village through Wukari, Kyado, and Zaki-Biam en route to Gboko.

The source said troops of Sub-Sector 1A swiftly established a snap roadblock at Zaki-Biam and successfully intercepted the woman without incident.

According to him, the suspect later led the troops to the criminal’s concealed armoury, where they recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 38 magazines, 690 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and four hand grenades.

He added that the facility was subsequently destroyed to prevent further use by the criminal network.

The source confirmed that the troops returned safely to base and noted that while the security situation in the area remained calm, it was still unpredictable. He also stated that civil-military relations were cordial.

“Troops’ morale and operational readiness remain high as combat and confidence-building patrols continue across the region,” he said.