Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing site and arrested a suspected weapons fabricator during a fighting and confidence-building patrol in Agwatashi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
According to Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, a Lieutenant and Acting Media Information Officer at Headquarters, JTF Operation WHIRL STROKE, the troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Idadu were on routine patrols aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of action when they discovered a concealed location suspected to be used for the illegal production of locally fabricated weapons.
He said several individuals fled the scene upon sighting the patrol, but one suspect, identified as Baba Ogar, a 26-year-old male from Arusu village in Kokona Local Government Area, was apprehended while attempting to evade arrest by hiding atop a tree.
“A thorough search of the site led to the recovery of six locally fabricated pistols, assorted tools and instruments believed to be used in the production of illegal weapons, the sum of ₦40,500, and a mobile phone found in the possession of the suspect,” Zubairu stated.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the location served as an illegal arms manufacturing hub supplying firearms to criminal elements within and beyond the area. The suspect is currently in custody, while investigations have been intensified to track down and apprehend other accomplices who escaped during the operation.
Reacting to the development, the Force Commander, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their professionalism, vigilance and sustained operational pressure, which led to the discovery of the illicit arms facility.
He urged the troops to maintain the momentum and continue to rely on intelligence-driven operations to dismantle criminal networks within the Joint Operations Area.
Major General Gara also emphasised the importance of public cooperation, calling on residents to provide timely and credible intelligence. He noted that actionable information remains critical to achieving lasting security and creating an environment conducive to economic growth.
