Troops of the sixth brigade have arrested three arsonists in the early hours of Tuesday in Taraba state.
The arsonists, identified as Bitrus Ishaya and Mamman Ibrahim of the Wudumpi area, and Emmanuel Adi from Step two, were apprehended at the scene after setting fire to the home of a Wurkun resident in Karim town, Karim Lamido Local Government Area (LGA).
The acting assistant spokesperson of the sixth brigade, Umar Muhammad, in a statement on Tuesday, said preliminary findings showed that Bitrus and Mamman falsely claimed to be members of the Taraba marshal security outfit but could not provide any form of identification.
Also, Emmanuel, who said he was a vigilante member, gave conflicting accounts during questioning, further deepening suspicions about their roles in the attack.
“The act is believed to be a deliberate attempt to exploit the already fragile tensions in parts of Karim Lamido LGA, where incidents involving local communities have heightened security concerns in recent days.
“The swift and proactive response of the troops successfully prevented the incident from escalating into a wider communal conflict.
“The suspects are currently in military custody as investigations intensify to uncover their true identities, motives, and any possible connections to criminal elements operating under the guise of vigilante or community security outfits,” the statement read.
Commander of the sixth brigade, Brig. Gen. Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa praised the troops for their timely intervention and reaffirmed the brigade’s commitment to maintaining peace across Taraba state.
He warned that anyone attempting to instigate violence or destabilize communities would face decisive action.
General Uwa urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies, and promptly report suspicious activities as part of ongoing efforts under Operation Peace Shield (OPS) to sustain stability in the region.
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