Troops Secure Benue Farmlands with Key Arrests
The Nigerian Army is clearing the path for the upcoming planting season. Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, acting on credible intelligence, raided a terrorist hideout in the Agasha area of Benue State on Thursday. The mission, part of the “pre-wet season” security sweep, resulted in the arrest of three suspects. Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, spokesperson for the operation, confirmed the raid on Friday. The military identifies the suspects as Sule Ibrahim and Salmanu Risko from Nasarawa State, and Abdulkareem Haruna from Jos.
Tactical precision defined the encounter. Upon arriving at the identified flashpoint, soldiers of the COAS Intervention Battalion XI swiftly cordoned off the perimeter to prevent any escape. The search yielded one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and twenty-seven rounds of live ammunition. Beyond the heavy weaponry, troops also recovered a Tecno mobile phone, a cutlass, and a collection of “assorted charms.” These items are now being processed as evidence in what the military describes as a broader campaign to deny criminal elements freedom of action.
Security in the North Central zone is a matter of national food interest. As the rain approaches, the military is ramping up “clearance operations” to ensure farmers can return to their fields without the threat of kidnapping or murder. Major General Moses Gara, the Force Commander, praised the troops for their “professionalism and resilience.” He noted that the aggressive operational posture will be maintained across the Joint Operations Area to safeguard law-abiding citizens during this critical agricultural window.
The suspects remain in military custody. Preliminary investigations are underway before they are handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. This latest breakthrough is part of a series of tactical shifts by the Nigerian Army to transition from reactive patrols to proactive “area domination.” By hitting suspected hideouts before the farming season begins in earnest, the military hopes to break the cycle of violence that has long plagued the Benue-Nasarawa axis.