Soldiers kill suspected bandit, recover weapons in Benue

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have killed a suspected bandit and recovered weapons and ammunition during an operation in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

Ahmad Zubairu, acting media information officer, Headquarters, JTF Operation Whirl Stroke, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Mr Zubairu said the troops of Sector 1 encountered two suspected bandits riding a motorcycle along the Gbise-Igyudu Road on 2 September.

According to him, the troops engaged the suspects in a gunfight after identifying them as armed.

“One of the suspected bandits was neutralised, while the second suspect fled the scene when subdued by a superior firepower,” he said.

Mr Zubairu said the troops subsequently conducted a search and clearance operation in the area to ensure that the fleeing suspect did not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.

The items recovered from the scene included a pistol, a pistol magazine, an AK-47 magazine, eight rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, one 7.62mm NATO round, two 9mm rounds and one PKT round.

A Tecno mobile phone and assorted charms were also recovered, he said.

Recent operations

The latest operation comes weeks after troops of Operation Whirl Stroke reported other encounters with suspected kidnappers and bandits in Katsina-Ala and other parts of Benue.

On 19 August, OPWS troops disrupted an alleged kidnappers’ roadblock along the Jortar-Atume axis in Katsina-Ala, killing a suspected bandit identified as “Cool Nigga” and recovering a motorcycle, according to the task force.

On the same day, troops also arrested two suspected kidnappers, Terhile Iyo, 44, and Vershima Emmanuel, 32, at Gou Village in Logo Local Government Area.

A locally made pistol, ammunition, mobile phones, a MoniePoint ATM card, identity card, SIM cards and charms were reportedly recovered from them.

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The latest operation comes amid continuing security concerns in parts of Benue, particularly the Sankera axis, where communities have experienced repeated attacks, killings and displacement.

The task force urged residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information on suspected criminal activities.

Mr Zubairu said Operation Whirl Stroke would continue sustained patrols and intelligence-driven operations to disrupt criminal networks and prevent them from threatening residents.