Troops of the 401 Special Forces Brigade/ Sector 1, Operation Whirl Stroke in collaboration with local hunters, have neutralised a bandit during clearance operation around the Tatough general area of Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue state.
Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 401 Special Forces Brigade/ Sector 1 OPWS, Capt. Abdullahi Osabo, in a statement issued Sunday said the operation, which included a fighting patrol and the escort of bereaved family members to Tse-Ayele village for the burial of a deceased relative, saw troops clear several identified hotspots and key locations, including Mdoor, Anter, Tse-Gegu, Tse-Akaajime, Tse-Agam, and Ndor villages.
He explained that while advancing through Tse-Akaajime village, troops encountered armed bandits.
Osabo said: “A brief but intense firefight ensued, resulting in the neutralization of one bandit, while others fled in disarray, abandoning their positions.
“Items recovered from the scene included two Tecno mobile phones and three motorcycles, suspected to have been used in coordinating criminal activities.”
Osabo added that in the aftermath of the encounter, troops destroyed and set ablaze all identified bandit camps in the area, effectively denying the criminals the ability to regroup or reestablish their presence.
In a related development, troops deployed at Tatough have continued to conduct aggressive foot and perimeter patrols, maintaining a strong security posture and reassuring residents of their safety.