Benue: Troops foil kidnap plot, kill suspect, arrest Two

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have killed a suspected kidnapper and arrested two others during separate operations in Benue State.

The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to Zubairu, troops acting on credible intelligence on 19 August intercepted a suspected bandit kingpin and his associates who were allegedly operating an illegal checkpoint along the Jortar-Atume axis.

He said the encounter resulted in a firefight during which one suspected bandit, identified by the nickname “Cool Nigga,” was neutralised.

The other members of the group reportedly fled, abandoning a motorcycle which was recovered by the troops.

Two suspected kidnappers arrested

In a separate operation at Gou in Logo Local Government Area, troops arrested two suspected kidnappers identified as Terhile Iyo, 44, and Vershima Emmanuel, 32.

According to Zubairu, the suspects confessed to an alleged attempt to kidnap Mrs Balame Nyikwagh of Gou village.

Items recovered from the suspects included a 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 as investigations continue.

Army reassures Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba residents

Operation Whirl Stroke also reassured residents across its operational areas in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states of its commitment to protecting lives and property.

The force urged residents to continue providing security agencies with timely and credible information to assist troops in detecting and disrupting criminal activities.

What it means for residents

The operations come amid persistent security concerns in parts of the North-Central region, where communities continue to face threats from kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.

For residents, the recovery of weapons and the arrest of suspected kidnappers could help disrupt criminal networks operating in affected communities. However, sustained intelligence-sharing between communities and security agencies remains important in preventing further attacks and improving public safety.