Troops of the Nigerian Army under the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have thwarted a planned attack by armed bandits on Anyagba village in Benue State, neutralising one suspect and recovering weapons and ammunition.
According to an X post shared by a security analyst, Zagagola Makama, on Tuesday, the joint team—comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, Police Mobile Force (PMF) and state-backed civil protection guards received intelligence on the movement of suspected bandits towards Anyagba community, allegedly to launch an attack.
Acting on the alert, the troops swiftly mobilised towards the Utange axis where the suspects were sighted.
“On sighting the joint team, the bandits opened fire, leading to a brief exchange.
“One suspect was fatally wounded during the encounter and later died while being evacuated for medical attention,” the post read.
The corpse of the neutralised suspect was deposited at a morgue, while other members of the gang reportedly fled into nearby bushes.
Items recovered at the scene included one AK-47 rifle with breech number 22446, two magazines, three rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and several expended shells.
No casualty was recorded among the joint security forces.
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Following the incident, troops intensified combing operations in the surrounding bushes to track and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
In a related development along the Katsina-Ala axis, a patrol team on stop-and-search duty recovered a locally fabricated pistol and a cartridge from a bag abandoned by a suspect who escaped upon sighting the troops.
The military has urged residents of Benue State to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to help prevent attacks and enhance the safety of communities across the state.