The Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Major General Moses Gara, has disclosed that troops operating across Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states have rescued 337 kidnapped victims and recovered 4,105 rustled cattle in sustained operations against criminal elements in the region.
Speaking in Makurdi on Saturday, the commander attributed the successes recorded by the task force to the strategic support and operational guidance provided by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Air Staff and other service chiefs.
According to him, the military high command has consistently provided critical combat enablers, including helicopters, fighter aircraft and logistics support necessary for operations in the theatre.
“Our achievements on the ground have been made possible by the support from Defence and Service Headquarters. The strategic guidance from the CDS, COAS and CAS ensures that we always have combat helicopters and other air assets available to support operations,” he said.
General Gara explained that OPWS was established as an intervention force to complement existing security agencies and address emerging threats across the three states.
He stated that contrary to popular perception, criminality remains the primary driver of insecurity in the region.
“From our experience on the ground, more than 80 per cent of the insecurity is driven by criminality. While some incidents may be linked to communal disputes, criminal elements have continued to exploit the situation for kidnapping, cattle rustling and other unlawful activities,” he said.
The commander stressed the importance of intelligence gathering and community participation in security efforts, noting that information provided by residents had led to successful rescue operations, arrests and the recovery of weapons.
However, he lamented that many residents remain reluctant to share information due to fear of reprisals from criminal groups.
Providing an operational scorecard for the first half of 2026, General Gara disclosed that troops neutralised 42 armed criminals, arrested 45 suspected gun runners and intensified efforts against illegal arms trafficking, cult-related activities and drug abuse.
He added that suspected Ambazonian fighters from Cameroon were arrested in Taraba State and handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.
The commander recalled a major joint operation conducted on Aug. 3, 2025, involving the Army, Air Force and other security agencies, which resulted in the rescue of 11 kidnapped victims, including two serving police inspectors.
He said the operation also led to the recovery of 17 assorted weapons, including machine guns, AK-47 rifles, G3 rifles and FN rifles, as well as large quantities of ammunition.
General Gara reaffirmed the commitment of OPWS to sustaining offensive operations against criminal groups and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence.
He assured members of the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
No Evidence of Organised Land-Grabbing Agenda – OPWS Commander
Meanwhile, the OPWS commander has dismissed claims that armed groups are pursuing a coordinated Islamist invasion or land-grabbing agenda in Benue and parts of the North-Central region.
According to him, findings from military operations do not support allegations that displaced indigenous communities are being systematically replaced by herders or other groups.
“I have personally visited several displaced communities. To my knowledge, I have not seen any non-indigene come forward to claim ownership of land belonging to communities in Benue,” he said.
He added that repeated requests for evidence of communities permanently occupied after the displacement of indigenous populations had yielded no verifiable proof.
General Gara argued that many violent incidents are rooted in criminality, reprisals, lawlessness and failures in local conflict-resolution mechanisms rather than any organised territorial agenda.
While acknowledging that farmer-herder disputes remain a source of tension, he noted that several cases of farmland destruction were linked to poor cattle management practices and could be addressed through sustained engagement and conflict-management efforts.
The commander cited a recent crisis in the Udege area of Nasarawa State, where the alleged killing of two Fulani youths by local residents over suspicions of involvement in kidnapping reportedly triggered reprisal attacks on several communities.
He said investigations revealed that some affected communities were attacked merely because they were perceived to be sympathetic to one side of the conflict.
“This shows the complex nature of insecurity in the region. Many violent incidents are driven by suspicion, reprisals and misinformation rather than organised territorial ambitions,” he said.
General Gara also identified the proliferation of illicit weapons and the activities of local informants as major factors sustaining criminal operations, particularly kidnapping, which he described as a lucrative enterprise for armed groups operating in parts of the region.
“Kidnapping has become a business for some local criminal groups. They rely on illegal weapons and local informants to sustain their operations. That is why our efforts remain focused on recovering illicit arms, arresting criminal elements and disrupting their networks,” he said.
The commander reiterated that the military remains an intervention force working in support of the police and other law enforcement agencies, while calling for stronger community policing, intelligence sharing and collaboration among stakeholders to improve security across Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states.
By Zagazola Makama
