Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have arrested seven suspected cultists in the North Bank area of Makurdi, Benue State, recovering locally made firearms and charms.
By Chimezie Godfrey
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have arrested seven suspected cultists in the North Bank area of Makurdi, Benue State, recovering locally made firearms and charms.
The operation, which took place on October 30, 2025, targeted a known cultist hideout following intelligence reports on the gang’s criminal activities in the area.
In a statement on Friday, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, said the raid was part of efforts to rid the state of violent crimes.
He said, “Items recovered from the hideout include two locally fabricated pistols, one laptop, one cartridge, one round of 7.62mm ammunition, one empty 7.62mm shell casing, one dagger, and several bags containing charms and other incriminating materials.”
Zubairu noted that the suspects were undergoing interrogation and would be prosecuted after investigations.
The Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Moses Gara, praised the troops for their courage and professionalism. “We must continue to sustain the fight against criminality and safeguard the peace of our communities,” he said.
Gara also appealed to youths to shun cultism and criminal tendencies, stressing that “discipline and respect for the law remain the path to national progress.”