Operation Whirl Stroke: Troops Raid Terrorist Hideout, Arrest 5 Suspects in Taraba
TARABA, Nigeria—Troops from the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have raided a suspected terrorist hideout near Peva in the Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, arresting five suspects connected to a notorious local bandit.
The military press release, signed by Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer for HQ JTF Operation Whirl Stroke, confirmed the operation took place in the early hours of Thursday, 3 September 2026.
Precision Raid in Takum LGA
The operation was launched around 12:30 AM following credible intelligence pointing to the location of a well-known bandit leader operating around the Peva community. Actively deploying a coordinated strategy, troops from Sector 1 and Sector 3 under OPWS executed a precision raid on the identified hideout.
While the primary targets managed to flee the scene before troops arrived—likely alerted by local informants—military personnel cordoned off and thoroughly searched the general area. The sweep led to the successful apprehension of five individuals believed to be close associates of the fleeing terrorists.
Weapons and Contraband Recovered
During the tactical search of the criminal encampment, troops recovered a variety of military-grade gear, ammunition, and ritual items. The seized cache includes: 46 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 2 AK-47 rifle magazines, 1 woodland camouflage jacket and jungle hat, and 4 charm vests alongside assorted local charms.
Ongoing Intelligence Operations
Military officials state that the arrests and recovered materials have yielded critical intelligence leads. Security forces are actively leveraging this information to track down and apprehend the remaining members of the fleeing criminal syndicate.
The HQ JTF Operation Whirl Stroke leadership reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to maintaining pressure on bandits, terrorists, and criminal networks across its Joint Operations Area. The command emphasized that operations will continue intensely until lasting peace and security are restored to Taraba State.
Furthermore, the military urged members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate closely with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to protect local communities.
