TROOPS of the Operation Whirl Stroke have recovered a large cache of arms a raid of a militia camp in Anku Mbagen in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major-General John Enenche, in a statement, said the special operation was sequel to credible intelligence on the activities of the armed militia operating around the border area of Benue and Taraba states.
According to the statement, arms and ammunition recovered from the camp include, one 81mm mortar gun, five 60mm Commando mortar gun, seven locally-fabricated mortar tube guns, three SMG rifles, three double barrel rifles, two locally-made rifles, one G3 rifle, one locally-made pistol, five AK 47 magazines, 166 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one car battery, 15 rounds of locally-made ammunition, two bags of gun powder and nine pairs of military camouflage.
Other items were, one generator, three motorcycles, one cellphone, charms and assorted hard drugs.
The statement read, “Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke made up Sector 2 deployed at Katsina Ala, Ukum and Logo LGAs of Benue State and those of Sector 4 drawn from parts of Taraba State at about 0430hrs on 22 April 2020 carrried out a special raid operation on a suspected militia camp located at Anku Mbagen in Atera-Jange Torov council ward of Ukum LGA of Benue state and recovered large cache of arms, ammunition and other items. “
Also, the Air Task Force of the Operation Lafiya Dole, has destroyed facilities housing Boko Haram leaders in Bulawa on the fringes of Sambisa forest, the military has said.
Fighter jets dispatched for the operation, according to a statement by Major General John Enenche, scored accurate hits and destroyed the structures. Many of the terrorists were also killed by the airstrike, the statement said.
According to the statement, “the Armed Forces of Nigeria, through the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole, has destroyed compounds housing Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHTs’) leaders at Bulawa on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.”
The ECOWAS Maritime Zone E, comprising of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and the Republic of Niger, has rescued 11 crewmen aboard a Portuguese ship in Benin territorial waters. The vessel was attacked by pirates.

By Ndidi Okoli