The Nigerian Army troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have foiled a planned attack by armed bandits on Anyagba village in Benue State, neutralising one assailant and recovering a firearm and ammunition.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the joint team, comprising Army, PMF elements and state-backed civil protection guards, was alerted at about 4:00 p.m. to the movement of armed bandits toward Anyagba community, apparently with intent to launch an attack.

“The troops mobilised immediately toward the Utange axis where the bandits were sighted,” the source said.

“On sighting the joint team, the bandits opened fire, leading to a brief exchange. One suspect was fatally wounded during the encounter and later died while being evacuated for medical attention.”

The source said the corpse was deposited at a morgue, while the remaining suspects fled into nearby bushes.

Items recovered at the scene include one AK-47 rifle with breech number 22446, two magazines, three rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and several expended shells.

“No casualty was recorded on the side of the joint forces,” the source added.

Following the incident, troops intensified combing operations in surrounding bushes to track and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

In a related development along the Katsina-Ala axis, a patrol team on stop-and-search duty recovered a locally fabricated pistol and a cartridge from a bag abandoned by a suspect who escaped on sighting the troops.

The military urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely information to security agencies to help prevent attacks and protect communities across the state. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)

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