Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested a 51-year-old man, Felix Yadeh, for allegedly running a fake recruitment scheme and defrauding members of the public of ₦3,627,000 in Taraba State. 

The suspect was picked up in Bantaje Village, Wukari Local Government Area, after vigilant members of a local vigilante group apprehended him and handed him over to soldiers at the Forward Operating Base in Wukari. 

Initial investigation indicates that Yadeh collected the money from unsuspecting victims under the guise of securing slots for them in the Nigerian Army. During interrogation, he told investigators that his younger brother directed him to collect the funds as purported enlistment fees. 

An Infinix Android phone and ₦3,050 cash were recovered from him. He is currently in custody as troops work to uncover the full extent of the fraud and track other possible accomplices. 

Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Michael Akaliro, Commander 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, commended the troops and the vigilante group for their alertness and quick action that led to the arrest. He restated the Brigade’s determination to rid the state of extortion and fraudulent activity. 

General Akaliro stressed that enlistment into the Nigerian Army is free, transparent, and strictly merit-based. He advised the public to disregard anyone demanding payment for Army jobs and to report suspicious recruitment claims to security agencies without delay. 

The operation is in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuibu, to stamp out criminality, extortion, and fraud nationwide. Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, said on May 26, 2026 that the Brigade remains resolute in protecting lives and property and ensuring peace across Taraba State.