Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have sustained intelligence-driven operations across the Joint Operations Area, arresting a suspected kidnapper in Nasarawa State and rescuing an abducted victim in Benue State.
The Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF Operation WHIRL STROKE, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement.
According to the statement, troops of Sector 2, Operation WHIRL STROKE, on September 4, 2026, arrested a suspected kidnapper identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa State.
The arrest followed the escape of one of the alleged kidnapping victims, 31-year-old Mr Nehemiah Elisha, who reportedly sighted one of his abductors at a market in Agyaragu after regaining his freedom.
Elisha immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, prompting the soldiers to swiftly respond and apprehend the suspect.
The suspect has since been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
In a separate operation on September 6, troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI, deployed at Torkula in Benue State, rescued another kidnapping victim along the Umene–Torkula Road.
The troops were conducting a patrol to dominate the area and prevent criminal activities when they discovered the victim, identified as Mr Vincent Nyado, tied and abandoned by the roadside.
Preliminary information indicated that Nyado had allegedly been abducted by suspected terrorists. The suspects reportedly fled into nearby bushes after sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their victim.
The rescued man was secured by the troops, while efforts are ongoing to gather further information and track down the fleeing suspects.
Operation WHIRL STROKE said it remains committed to curbing violence and other criminal activities across the North-Central region and Taraba State.
The task force has also directed its personnel to sustain intelligence-led operations and strengthen cooperation with other security agencies and local communities.
Members of the public were urged to provide credible and timely information to security agencies, with the military stressing that such cooperation remains critical to disrupting criminal networks and improving security across the region.
