Nigerian troops under the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke have foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued two victims during a patrol along the Naka–Ahume Road in Benue State.
The Acting Media Information Officer of the task force, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, said the incident occurred on Saturday, 24 October 2026, when troops intercepted armed kidnappers attempting to abduct motorists and commuters along the road.
He said the troops engaged the suspected kidnappers, forcing them to abandon their captives and fled into a nearby vegetation.
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The troops pursued the fleeing suspects through the surrounding terrain to secure the area, but no further contact was established, according to the military.
One of the rescued victims, 36-year-old Mrs. Mngunengen Ihom, a resident of Ahume, sustained machete wounds inflicted by the assailants before the troops intervened.
She was immediately evacuated to Naka General Hospital, where she is receiving medical treatment.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Gara, commended the patrol team and directed troops to sustain intelligence-led operations across the Joint Operations Area.
He stressed the need to expand human intelligence networks to improve early warning systems, speed up responses and neutralise armed threats.
Major General Gara reassured residents of Benue State and neighbouring operational areas of the task force’s commitment to protecting freedom of movement and improving security.
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Military information officers urged members of the public to support ongoing operations by providing timely and actionable security information to local security agencies.
