Troops dismantle kidnappers’ roadblock, arrest two in Benue

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By Kingsley Omonobi

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Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have dismantled a kidnappers’ roadblock, neutralised one suspected bandit and arrested two suspected kidnappers in separate operations across Benue State.

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The Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

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He said the operations followed credible intelligence received by the troops concerning the activities of suspected criminals operating in the state.

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According to him, on August 19, 2026, troops acted on intelligence regarding the activities of a suspected bandit kingpin and his associates who were operating an illegal checkpoint along the Jortar–Atume axis.

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“On arrival, the troops made contact with the criminals, resulting in a firefight during which one suspected bandit, identified by the nickname ‘Cool Nigga’, was neutralised.

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“The other members of the group fled in disarray, abandoning a motorcycle, which was recovered by the troops,” he said.

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In a separate operation on the same day, Zubairu said OPWS troops deployed in Logo Local Government Area, acting on information from a credible source, apprehended two suspected kidnappers at Gou Village.

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The suspects, identified as 44-year-old Terhile Iyo and 32-year-old Vershima Emmanuel, reportedly confessed to an attempt to kidnap Mrs Balame Nyikwagh of Gou Village.

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Items recovered from the suspects included one locally made pistol, one cartridge, five Tecno torchlight phones, a MoniePoint ATM card, an identity card, multiple SIM cards and charms.

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The suspects remain in military custody for further investigation.

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The force reassured law-abiding residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging them to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

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