Benue: Troops recover cache of arms from fleeing bandits

Troops attached to the Operation Whirl Stroke have recovered cache of arms in Odogoke and Odejo communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The arms including one double-barrel gun, nineteen locally-made rifles, one pistol, four rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, three cartridges for pump action rifle, among other accoutrements, were abandoned by fleeing bandits during a cordon and search operation in the communities.

The operation followed a deadly clash perpetrated by the bandits in the communities earlier this month.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, in a statement, confirmed that normalcy has returned to the affected communities.

According to the statement, “troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE carried out cordon and search operation in Odogoke and Odejo communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State to apprehend bandits following deadly clashes on 23 March 2020.

“During the operation, the bandits flee from the area abandoning their weapons.

“Items recovered from the two settlements include:one double barrel gun, nineteen locally made rifles, one pistol, four rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, three cartridges for pump action rifle among other accoutrements.

“Normalcy has returned to the communities and general security in the area remains calm. Troops have dominated the general area with fighting patrols to ensure peace and stability in the area.

“Items recovered from the two settlements include:one double barrel gun, nineteen locally made rifles, one pistol, four rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, three cartridges for pump action rifle among other accoutrements.

“Normalcy has returned to the communities and general security in the area remains calm. Troops have dominated the general area with fighting patrols to ensure peace and stability in the area.

“ However, The Defence Headquarters hereby encourages the public in the general area to come up with credible information to enable the troops to be proactive”.

In another development, troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole, routed Boko Haram fighters at Allagarno forest in Borno State.

The statement added that “troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have dealt another crippling blow on Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the North East part of the Country. This was achieved at Gorigi in the Allagarno Forest general area of Borno State on 23 March 2020.

“The routing occurred when the Land Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE conducting clearance operations along the Allagarno Forest axis, as part of the ongoing subsidiary Operation, “Operation AYISO TAMONUMA”, came into contact with mounted BHTs.

“Accordingly, air assets, including an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform and fighter jets, were immediately scrambled to provide Close Air Support to the troops. While the ISR platform provided situational awareness to the troops, the fighter jets engaged the BHTs, immobilizing a gun truck and neutralizing some of the terrorists. Some others, who attempted to beat a hasty retreat, were mopped up by the jets in follow-on attacks.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in furtherance of the objective of restoring peace and security in the Northeast, will continue to sustain the offensive against the enemies of our Nation”.