Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have arrested a suspected cultist and recovered a locally fabricated pistol and ammunition in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
This was contained in a post shared on Tuesday on X by security analyst, Zagazola Makama.
According to Makama, the arrest was made on June 22 at about 7:10 p.m. during a security operation conducted by troops of Sector 1 OPWS in the area.
Security sources said the suspect was picked up based on intelligence linking him to cult-related activities that have contributed to insecurity in the local government area.
“Items recovered from him included one locally fabricated pistol, two cartridges, and a bag containing suspected personal belongings,” Makama wrote.
A source said the suspect is currently in custody while investigations are ongoing to determine his level of involvement and to identify possible accomplices.
“The suspect is under investigation to establish his role and other persons connected to his activities,” the source said.
Security authorities explained that the arrest is part of ongoing efforts to curb cultism and other forms of criminal activities in Benue State and neighbouring areas.
They added that Operation Whirl Stroke has continued to intensify patrols and intelligence-led operations to maintain peace and improve security in its area of responsibility.