Join our WhatsApp channel HERE for the latest Benue news and updates!
In a decisive blow against organized crime in Benue State, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have killed three suspected members of a criminal syndicate terrorizing Ukum Local Government Area. The suspects, identified as Sughter Abelebe and Sughnen Abelebe (both from Ugbaam Council Ward) and one other from Tse Kpeaka, Kundav Council Ward, were gunned down during a fierce exchange of fire on Thursday.
According to a statement released on Friday by the acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, the security team received credible intelligence about an illegal roadblock mounted by armed criminals along the route connecting Aturuku, Wembe, and Ayati villages in Borkyo Council Ward. Upon approaching the location, the troops successfully foiled an ambush set by the gang.
“On making contact with the criminals, the troops engaged them decisively, resulting in the killing of three criminals, while others fled into nearby bushes,” the statement read. Two motorcycles used by the gang were recovered, and a search continues for the fleeing members.
The deceased suspects were later identified by community members and are believed to belong to a notorious syndicate responsible for a wave of kidnappings and widespread insecurity across Ukum LGA. Sources within the security circle have also linked the group to a feared bandit kingpin operating along the Shitile axis of Katsina-Ala LGA.
OPWS Force Commander, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their courage, discipline, and professionalism. He urged them to sustain the momentum, deepen intelligence-led operations, and maintain operational drive, and reinforce security presence in high-risk communities across the joint operations area covering Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states.
The latest success comes on the heels of intensified operations in the Sankera axis, a long-standing hotspot for banditry and kidnapping. Just last month, OPWS troops stormed the hideout of an armed bandit in Mbagen community, Ukum LGA, killing one suspect while the gang leader narrowly escaped.
Residents of Ukum and surrounding communities have welcomed the development, with many expressing hope that sustained military pressure will finally restore lasting peace to the troubled region.
