Troops of the Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion IX, operating under the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have recorded another operational success after neutralising two suspected armed bandits in Benue State.
The incident occurred on January 26, 2026, during a snap ambush along the Naka–Ahume–Makurdi Road. The troops, who were deployed at Naka, were on a routine fighting patrol when they received credible intelligence about the movement of armed bandits within the area.
Acting on the information, the soldiers tactically positioned themselves along the identified route and later made contact with the suspects. During the encounter, three suspected armed bandits were sighted. Two of them were neutralised, while the third suspect fled the scene with a gunshot wound.
After the exchange, the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with six rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition at the scene. Security personnel have since sustained aggressive fighting patrols within the surrounding areas to deny criminal elements the opportunity to regroup or operate freely.
Reacting to the development, the Force Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Moses Gara, said the outcome of the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven efforts and the professionalism of the troops.
He reaffirmed the determination of the Joint Task Force to sustain the tempo of operations and maintain coordinated actions aimed at improving security across the Joint Operations Area.
The statement was signed by Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, Lieutenant and Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, on January 26, 2026.
