Troops k!ll two kidnappers, rescue three victims in Benue, recover cache of arms

Troops of Sector 1, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), in conjunction with the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, have neutralised two suspected kidnappers and rescued three abducted victims during a fighting patrol in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

The operation was conducted at about 3:00 a.m. on July 17, 2026 in the Tse-Togo and Utenge communities following intelligence on the activities of armed kidnappers in the area.

The troops engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle, k!lling two of the suspected kidnappers and successfully rescuing three kidnapped victims unharmed.

Following the operation, troops exploited the kidnappers’ hideouts and recovered one AK-47 rifle, one G3 rifle, one pistol, 19 AK-47 magazines, one G3 magazine, 181 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 40 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, nine rounds of 5.56×45mm ammunition, two pairs of woodland camouflage uniforms, two pairs of desert camouflage uniforms, one Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal and one Tetron communication device.

The recovered items have been taken into custody, while the rescued victims have been reunited with their families after preliminary profiling.

Military authorities said clearance operations are continuing across the area to track down other fleeing members of the kidnapping syndicate and dismantle their remaining hideouts.