Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have neutralised a suspected bandit and recovered weapons, ammunition and other items during a fighting patrol along the Gbise Igyudu Road in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
He said troops of Sector 1 encountered two suspected bandits riding a motorcycle during a routine fighting patrol on September 2, 2026.
“After a positive identification of the armed suspects, troops immediately engaged the suspects resulting in a fierce exchange of fire,” he said.
According to him, one of the suspects was neutralised during the encounter while the second fled after being overwhelmed by the troops’ superior firepower.
The troops subsequently conducted a search and clearance operation around the area to ensure that the fleeing suspect did not pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.
Items recovered included one pistol, one pistol magazine, one AK-47 magazine, eight rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, one 7.62mm NATO round, two 9mm rounds and one PKT round.
The troops also recovered a Tecno mobile phone and assorted charms from the scene.
OPWS urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information about suspected criminals and their movements.
The operation said such information remained essential to ensuring swift responses to emerging security threats.
“Operation Whirl Stroke will continue to dominate its operational areas through sustained patrols and other intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and denying them the opportunity to threaten the peace and security of law-abiding citizens,” it said.
© 2026, Standard Focus. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from STANDARD FOCUS.