Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS) have intensified their offensive against criminal elements in Benue State, dismantling bandit camps and recovering a cache of weapons and equipment in a recent raid.
Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations 401 Special Forces Brigade, Sector 1 OPWS, Makurdi, Captain Abdullahi Lawal Osabo said the operation, conducted on 18 May 2025 by troops of the 72 Special Forces Battalion in collaboration with other security agencies, targeted camps linked to a notorious bandit leader in the Konyo Gbise area around Akwaza in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.
During the raid, troops recovered a Sub Machine Gun (SMG) with magazine, a locally fabricated rifle with magazine, 7.62mm special ammunition, and 9mm ammunition. Additional items seized include a rifle butt, rifle barrel, three POS machines, two generators, a mobile phone, electrical cables, a painting machine, seven solar panels, a half bag of suspected cannabis sativa, and portraits of known bandit leaders.
Commander of JTF OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their swift and decisive action. He urged them to maintain the momentum against all criminal elements threatening peace in the state, especially as the farming season begins.
General Gara also appealed to residents of Benue to continue supporting military efforts by providing credible intelligence on criminal activities in their communities.
