Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have neutralized an armed bandits and arrested two suspected cattle rustlers in Benue State.
Acting Media Information Officer, HQ JTF Operation WHIRL STROKE, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, February 6, 2026 said the suspects were arrested while butchering rustled cattle meat inside a residential building in Agagbe community.
According to the statement, three other suspects were earlier arrested in connection with the cattle rustling incident in the community and subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force in Naka for further investigation.
“Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have continued to sustain an enhanced operational tempo through intelligence-led aggressive fighting patrols, recording significant successes against criminal elements across parts of Benue and Nasarawa States,” the statement read.
“On 3 February 2026, troops of Sector 1, OPWS, acting on credible intelligence regarding the activities of armed herders in Ayamba Village, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, swiftly mobilised in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Police Force and operatives of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard to the location.
“Upon arrival at Ayamba Village, contact was made with the armed elements, leading to a brief engagement during which one armed bandit was neutralised. Troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, three rounds of 7.62mm x 39 special ammunition, and two magazines from the scene.
“Similarly, on 4 February 2026, troops of Sector 2, OPWS, deployed at Patrol Base Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, received actionable intelligence from a local hunter about suspected armed robbers lurking along the Asupe–Ome Road in Obi Local Government Area. Acting promptly on the information, the troops moved to the general area in collaboration with the hunter.
“During the operation, one suspected armed robber, identified as Adam Paul, aged 34, was arrested, and one AK-47 rifle was recovered. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspect obtained the weapon from one Tela Obu, a resident of Duduguru Community in Obi LGA.
“Two other suspects, identified as John Amos and Elisha, also residents of Duduguru Community, fled the scene and are currently at large. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects.
“In another development on the same day, troops of the COAS Intervention Battalion IX, deployed at Agbaragba in Benue State, responded swiftly to a distress call from local residents concerning the mobilisation of some youths from Agagbe community to rustle cattle.
“On arrival at the location, troops discovered several dead cattle at different points. However, three suspects were arrested in connection with the incident and subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force in Naka for further investigation and prosecution.
In a similar vein, on 5 February 2026, troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Agbagbe received credible intelligence indicating that some youths were actively butchering rustled cattle meat inside a residential building within Agagbe Community.
“Two suspects were apprehended at the scene while in possession of mutilated and butchered meat believed to have been obtained from rustled cattle.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were allegedly involved in cattle rustling activities within the general area, a criminal act that has continued to threaten livelihoods and undermine peace in rural communities. The arrested suspects have since been taken into custody for investigation and possible prosecution in line with extant laws.
“The Force Commander, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their resilience, vigilance and aggressive posture in denying criminals freedom of action.
“He stated that the recorded successes are in line with the directive of the military high command, for commanders to scale up and intensify aggressive fighting patrols while enhancing intelligence-driven operations.”
Major General Gara further charged the troops to sustain the momentum and maintain a strong fighting efficiency to deter and neutralise criminal activities within the Joint Operations Area.
He also expressed appreciation to local communities and members of other security agencies for their continued support and cooperation, which have contributed significantly to the successes recorded by Operation WHIRL STROKE.
A Nigerian man and one other were arrested during an anti-narcotics operation in Kenya.Arts & Entertainment
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
According to the statement, detectives from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), in collaboration with officers from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU), conducted an intelligence-led operation targeting a suspected narcotics trafficking network.
Acting on credible intelligence that suspects were planning a narcotics exchange in Stock inauguration, Machakos County, the team responded swiftly. Nigerian Oil Industry
However, upon arrival, it was established that the planned meeting had been aborted.
Based on real-time information from covert sources, the operation was redirected to Ruaka, Kiambu County.
A search at a house within Mbuti Apartment, Ruaka, led to the recovery of several exhibits including pellets and packages of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs, digital weighing scales, mobile phones, foreign passports, and cash in both Kenyan and Nigerian currencies.
Two suspects were arrested during the operation: Okeke Ikechukwu, a Nigerian national and Alex Opondo, a Kenyan national.
The suspects were escorted to Ruaraka and Pangani Police Stations for processing. All recovered exhibits have been secured for forensic analysis.
The suspects are expected to be arraigned in court today as investigations continue to trace additional suspects and dismantle the wider trafficking network.
The Kaduna State High Court has convicted and sentenced three persons to jail for internet fraud carried out via Facebook and TikTok in Kaduna State.
Aliyu Hassan, Samuel Olamide, and Solomon Joseph Christian were found guilty of separate one-count charges bordering on criminal impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.
The convictions were disclosed Tuesday, March 17, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission via its verified X account.
The anti-graft agency said its Kaduna Zonal Directorate secured the convictions before Justice A. Isiaka.
According to the statement, Hassan, also known as Ottaviani Loverules Giovanni, impersonated a Brazilian citizen on Facebook on February 9, 2026, and defrauded a victim, Kerry, of N90,000.
Three jailed, fined for Facebook, TikTok fraud in Kaduna
Olamide, alias Johnny, impersonated a United States citizen on TikTok on the same date and defrauded an American, identified as Jackie Sanders.
Three jailed, fined for Facebook, TikTok fraud in Kaduna
Similarly, Christian, also known as Jenort, impersonated another individual on Facebook in February 2026 and obtained $150 from his victim.
Three jailed, fined for Facebook, TikTok fraud in Kaduna
The EFCC said the offences contravened Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.
It added that the defendants pleaded guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.U. Gadaka, to urge the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Isiaka subsequently sentenced each of the convicts to five years’ imprisonment, with an option of a N300,000 fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of items recovered from them to the Federal Government. Hassan forfeited N90,000 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 used in committing the offence; Olamide forfeited a Samsung Galaxy S21; while Christian forfeited an iPhone 14 Pro and $150, identified as proceeds of the crime.
The EFCC said the convicts were arrested in the Agwa/Kudende area of Kaduna following credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
One of the victims of Monday night’s explosion in Maiduguri, Borno State, Abacha Mustapha, has recounted the terrifying moment the blast went off, leaving him seriously injured.
Speaking with DailyTrust from his hospital bed on Tuesday at Umaru Shehu Hospital, Mustapha said he was preparing to leave the market after the day’s activities when the explosion occurred.
“We broke our fast and were about to leave after closing our shops when the first bomb detonated. I heard a loud sound, and suddenly my neck started bleeding,” he said.
The blast threw people into chaos as traders and residents scrambled for safety.
“It was chaotic. People were running in different directions. Some fell, others were shouting. I couldn’t even understand what had happened at first,” he added.
Mustapha said his brother, who was with him at the time, quickly came to his aid.
“My brother used his cloth to tie my neck to stop the bleeding before rushing me to the hospital. If not for him, I don’t know what would have happened,” he said.
Medical personnel at the hospital confirmed that several victims were brought in with varying injuries, including shrapnel wounds and burns.
Eyewitnesses said the blast struck at a busy time when traders were closing for the day, and residents were returning home after breaking their fast.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army raised the alarm over the possible deployment of multiple suicide bombers in Maiduguri, urging residents to avoid crowded places.
Monday’s coordinated attacks reportedly killed 23 people and injured 108 others.
Media Information Officer of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, said the attacks targeted crowded public areas to inflict mass casualties and create panic, identifying the affected locations as the Post Office area, Monday Market axis, and the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident, noting that security operatives immediately secured the scenes.
“The scenes were immediately secured, cordoned off, and subjected to thorough sweep operations by Police Explosive Ordnance (EOD) Unit Base 13 Maiduguri to rule out the presence of any additional threats,” said the Police Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso.
