The Joint Task Force (JTF) operating under Operation Whirl Stroke announced that on 28 October it detained two individuals suspected of supplying logistics to bandits and another two alleged armed robbers in Benue State. The arrests were carried out in the Abaji community of Katsina‑Ala LGA and Jootar village of Ukum LGA, and the suspects are now in custody pending investigation.
Banditry has become a persistent security challenge in the North‑central region, with attacks on villages, cattle rustling and kidnappings reported regularly in Katsina‑Ala and Ukum LGAs. The JTF was deployed earlier this year as part of a broader federal effort to curb the criminal networks that exploit the porous riverine terrain.
The two logistics suspects identified by the JTF were Tertser Terngu, 24, and Aondongu Tersoo, 15, both natives of Tersoo village in Katsina‑Ala. They are alleged to have provided food, fuel and other support to a bandit leader operating along the River Yooyo.
The armed‑robbery suspects were seized in Jootar village after troops received a tip‑off about a robbery on the Kyado‑Wukari road. According to the acting media officer, the volunteers of the local Guard had already detained the two men when the JTF arrived at approximately 2:16 p.m.
Items recovered from the robbery suspects included a locally manufactured pistol, seven rounds of 7.62 mm PKT ammunition and a pair of scissors, which were catalogued as evidence.
What did the JTF spokesperson say?
Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer for the operation, told reporters that the detainees would be handed over to the appropriate investigative agencies for further processing.
How did the army leadership respond?
Maj‑Gen. Moses Gara, Force Commander of the Joint Task Force and General Officer Commanding the 5th Division of the Nigerian Army, praised the troops for their swift action, urging them to maintain the operational tempo, stay vigilant and continue to act on timely intelligence across the joint operations area.
The operation was triggered by actionable intelligence received by patrol units, which highlighted a planned robbery along the Kyado‑Wukari corridor. Such tips are routinely relayed by community vigilante groups and the Volunteer Guards, a civilian auxiliary that assists the army in monitoring remote areas.
In Jootar village, members of the Volunteer Guards had already engaged the suspects, securing the scene before the JTF arrived, demonstrating the growing cooperation between security forces and local stakeholders.
The arrested individuals will be transferred to the Benue State police command for interrogation, and the seized weapons will be logged for forensic analysis. Authorities said the continued collaboration between the army, police and community watch groups is essential to dismantle the supply chains that sustain bandit operations.