Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have arrested a suspected kidnapper and rescued an abducted victim in separate intelligence-driven operations across Nasarawa and Benue States.
According to a statement signed by Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, the operations were conducted on September 4 and 6, 2026.
In one of the operations, troops of Sector 2, OPWS, arrested a suspected kidnapper identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa State on September 4.
The arrest followed the escape of a 31-year-old kidnapping victim, Nehemiah Elisha, who reportedly spotted one of his alleged abductors at a market in Agyaragu after fleeing captivity.
Elisha immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, prompting a swift response that led to the suspect’s arrest.
The suspect has since been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and necessary legal action.
In a separate operation on September 6 at about 10:07 a.m., troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI, deployed at Torkula in Benue State, rescued another kidnapping victim along the Umene–Torkula Road.
The troops were conducting a patrol to dominate the area and prevent criminal activities when they found Vincent Nyado tied and abandoned by the roadside.
Preliminary information indicated that Nyado had allegedly been abducted by suspected terrorists.
The suspects reportedly fled into nearby bushes after sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their victim.
Troops immediately secured the rescued man, while efforts are ongoing to gather further intelligence and identify the fleeing suspects.
Lieutenant Zubairu said Operation WHIRL STROKE remains resolute in its mandate to curb violence across the North-Central region and Taraba State.
He added that troops had been directed to sustain intelligence-led operations, remain vigilant and strengthen cooperation with other security agencies and local communities.
The task force also urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies, stressing that such cooperation remains critical to defeating criminal elements and creating a safer environment.