Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, operating under Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have dislodged armed criminals and recovered 91 rustled cattle in Southern Taraba, the Army has confirmed.

In a statement released to journalists in Jalingo on Thursday, the Brigade’s Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Umar Muhammad, said the operations form part of ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in the region.

“Between November 24 and 25, 2025, the Brigade conducted clearance operations across Akesha, Zambana Forest, and Ayu Village in Takum and Donga Local Government Areas. The operations targeted suspected armed herdsmen and other criminal groups responsible for attacks on farmlands, displacement of residents, and disruption of agricultural activities,” the statement read.

Acting on credible intelligence, troops were said to have advanced on identified hideouts, prompting the criminals to flee. During operations in Akesha on November 24, soldiers recovered 91 abandoned cattle grazing on farmlands. The livestock were secured to prevent further use by criminal elements.

The following day, troops engaged criminals in Zambana Forest and Ayu Village, forcing them to retreat deeper into the forest. The operations, the Army said, weakened the criminals’ operational capabilities and allowed displaced farmers to safely harvest and evacuate their crops, previously hindered by fear of attacks.

Addressing troops and residents, the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to sustained operations in Southern Taraba, particularly as the yuletide season approaches.

He directed anyone claiming ownership of the recovered cattle to report to 93 Battalion in Takum for verification. He stressed that no livestock will be released without compensating farmers whose farmlands were damaged.

Brigadier General Uwa condemned the violence perpetrated by marauding herders, calling it a major driver of insecurity in Takum and surrounding areas.

He urged herders migrating into Taraba from other states to register with traditional rulers and local authorities to prevent conflicts and maintain peace.

He added that Operation Zafin Wuta remains focused on dismantling criminal networks, protecting farming communities, restoring law and order, and ensuring livestock activities do not threaten peace or food security in Southern Taraba.

In other news, the Catholic Diocese of Wukari in Taraba State has again issued a distress call to the Federal Government following a surge in violent attacks on farming communities in Takum, Ussa, and other parts of Southern Taraba.

The various attacks, as made by the church in a statement issued to journalists on Thursday in Jalingo, Taraba State, have claimed more than 50 lives in recent weeks.

Jointly signed by Very Rev. Fr. (Professor) Anthony I. Bature, Vicar Administration; Very Rev. Fr. Simon Akuraga, Chancellor; and Rev. Fr. Moses Angyian, Chairman of the NCDPA, the appeal came after a three-day workshop on Pastoral Care and Counselling for Traumatised and Distressed Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) of the Diocese.

According to the diocese, more than 3,000 people have been killed over the past three decades, with over 335 communities and churches destroyed and property worth billions of naira lost.

The church also noted that more than 300,000 residents, mostly widows, children and orphans, have been displaced