By Kingsley Omonobi
Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, have raided a suspected terrorist hideout and arrested five persons believed to be associates of a notorious bandit operating around Peva in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Zubairu said the operation was conducted in the early hours of Thursday, September 3, 2026, following credible intelligence received by the troops at about 12:30am on the location of the suspected bandit’s hideout.
According to him, troops of Sector 1, in conjunction with personnel from Sector 3, both under Operation Whirl Stroke, launched a precision raid on the identified location.
He said the suspected terrorists, however, fled before the arrival of the troops, allegedly after being alerted by informants about the advancing security personnel.
He said the troops subsequently conducted a thorough search of the area, leading to the arrest of five persons suspected to be associates of the fleeing bandit.
Zubairu said the operation also led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifle magazines, 46 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one woodland camouflage jacket and jungle hat, four charm vests and assorted charms.
He said the arrests and recovery of the weapons-related items had provided security forces with useful leads that could assist ongoing efforts to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal group.
The OPWS spokesman reaffirmed the commitment of the troops to maintaining pressure on terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements in Taraba State and other parts of its Joint Operations Area until peace and security were restored.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that cooperation between residents and security forces remained critical to tackling criminal activities and securing communities.
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