Troops dismantle kidnappers’ roadblock, arrest two in Benue

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have dismantled a kidnappers’ roadblock, neutralised one suspected bandit and arrested two suspected kidnappers in separate operations across Benue State.

The Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

He said the operations followed credible intelligence received by the troops concerning the activities of suspected criminals operating in the state.

According to him, on August 19, 2026, troops acted on intelligence regarding the activities of a suspected bandit kingpin and his associates who were operating an illegal checkpoint along the Jortar–Atume axis.

“On arrival, the troops made contact with the criminals, resulting in a firefight during which one suspected bandit, identified by the nickname ‘Cool Nigga’, was neutralised.

“The other members of the group fled in disarray, abandoning a motorcycle, which was recovered by the troops,” he said.

In a separate operation on the same day, Zubairu said OPWS troops deployed in Logo Local Government Area, acting on information from a credible source, apprehended two suspected kidnappers at Gou Village.

The suspects, identified as 44-year-old Terhile Iyo and 32-year-old Vershima Emmanuel, reportedly confessed to an attempt to kidnap Mrs Balame Nyikwagh of Gou Village.

Items recovered from the suspects included one locally made pistol, one cartridge, five Tecno torchlight phones, a MoniePoint ATM card, an identity card, multiple SIM cards and charms.

The suspects remain in military custody for further investigation.

The force reassured law-abiding residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging them to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.