Friday, June 19, 2026

The Sun Nigeria

Troops kill 4 bandits in Benue

NIGER-UNREST-ISLAMISTS-NIGERIA

Nigerien soldiers patrol in Bosso, near the Nigerian border, on May 25, 2015. Niger has extended for three months the state of emergency in its southeastern Diffa region where the army has been battling Boko Haram militants since February, authorities announced on May 27, 2015. The operation, nicknamed Barkhane, which succedeed to Serval one, is taking place across Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad and involves a total 3,000 French troops. AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGO (Photo credit should read ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images)

Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) yesterday killed four armed bandits who invaded Agasha community in Guma local government area of Benue State.

Daily Sun gathered from locals in the area that armed herdsmen had earlier on Monday night invaded the community and killed two locals and shot an old woman in her house near LGEA primary school Agasha.

Force Commander of OPWS, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, who confirmed the report, said his troops immediately mobilised and trailed the invaders until they were able to get them.

He said: “Please be informed that some suspected armed herdsmen infiltrated Agasha in Guma local government area of Benue State and killed two villagers overnight.

“Operation WHIRL STROKE troops on patrol in the area immediately mobilised to the scene but the herdsmen had fled before their arrival.

“Troops subsequently tracked the assailants through some of the nearby communities overnight while other troops deployed at Tomatar across the river also in Guma blocked the escape route towards Nasarawa State.

“At about 0600hrs this morning, troops had contact with the armed herdsmen at a make shift camp close to the Benue River during which 4 of the assailants were killed, while troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, four magazines and 65 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the bandits.”

Yekini, who noted that none of his men sustained any casualty during the operation, explained further that troops were still on search and destroy operation in the general area at the time of this report.

The OPWS boss added that details of further contacts would be communicated to newsmen as soon as the operation is over.