Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have neutralised a suspected kidnapper and arrested two others during separate operations in Benue State.
The Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement issued and made available to journalists on Sunday.
Zubairu said the first operation was carried out on August 19, 2026, following credible intelligence about the activities of suspected bandits operating an illegal checkpoint along the Jortar–Atume axis.
According to him, troops moved to the area and engaged the suspects in a gun battle.
He said one of the suspected bandits, identified by the nickname “Cool Nigga,” was killed during the encounter, while other members of the group fled into the surrounding area.
“The other members of the group fled in disarray, abandoning a motorcycle, which was recovered by the troops,” the statement said.
In a separate operation in Gou, Logo Local Government Area, the troops also arrested two suspected kidnappers identified as Terhile Iyo, 44, and Vershima Emmanuel, 32.
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The OPWS spokesperson said the suspects allegedly confessed to an attempt to kidnap a woman, Mrs Balame Nyikwagh, in 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.
Zubairu said the suspects were being held in military custody for further investigation and exploitation.
The task force reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across its areas of operation in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states.
It also urged residents to continue providing security agencies with timely and credible information that could assist ongoing efforts to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.