Troops kill bandit, arrest suspects in Benue

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have neutralised an armed bandit and arrested eight criminal suspects in coordinated security operations across Benue and Nasarawa states.

In a statement, the OPWS spokesman, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, said troops of Sector 1, OPWS, on February 3, 2026, acting on credible intelligence about the movement of armed herders in Ayamba Village, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, launched a joint operation with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and operatives of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.

Zubairu stated that the troops engaged the armed elements upon arrival, resulting in a brief firefight during which one armed bandit was neutralised.

He noted that one AK-47 rifle, three rounds of 7.62mm × 39 special ammunition, and two magazines were recovered at the scene.

The spokesman added that in a related operation on February 4, 2026, troops of Sector 2, OPWS, deployed at Patrol Base Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, arrested a suspected armed robber along the Asupe–Ome Road in Obi Local Government Area, following actionable intelligence provided by a local hunter.

He said the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Adam Paul, was apprehended with one AK-47 rifle, adding that preliminary investigations revealed the weapon was allegedly obtained from one Tela Obu of Duduguru Community in Obi LGA.

Zubairu disclosed that two other suspects, John Amos and Elisha, also from the same community, reportedly fled the area and are currently at large, with efforts ongoing to apprehend them.

He further stated that on the same day, troops of the COAS Intervention Battalion IX, deployed at Agbaragba in Benue State, responded to a distress call over alleged cattle rustling by youths from Agagbe community.

He said several dead cattle were discovered at different locations, while three suspects were arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force in Naka for further investigation and prosecution.

Similarly, on February 5, 2026, Zubairu said troops at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Agagbe arrested two suspects inside a residential building in Agagbe community while allegedly butchering meat suspected to have been obtained from rustled cattle. He added that the suspects were taken into custody for investigation and possible prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their resilience and aggressive posture, noting that the successes align with directives from the military high command to intensify intelligence-led patrols.

Gara also urged the troops to sustain the tempo of operations, while appreciating local communities and other security agencies for their support and cooperation in denying criminal elements freedom of action within the joint operations area.

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