By Sabiu Abdullahi
Troops of Sector 2 of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing site in Nasarawa State, leading to the arrest of a suspect and the recovery of weapons and cash.
This is contained in a statement signed by AHMAD ZUBAIRU ZUBAIRU, Lieutenant, Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF Operation WHIRL STROKE, on 26 January 2026.
The operation took place in Agwatashi, Doma Local Government Area, where troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Idadu carried out a fighting and confidence-building patrol. The patrol formed part of ongoing efforts to restrict the activities of criminal elements in the area.
During the operation, the soldiers discovered a hidden location believed to be used for the production of locally made firearms. Several suspects reportedly fled when they sighted the patrol. One of them, identified as Baba Ogar, a 26-year-old male from Arusu village in Kokona Local Government Area, was arrested while attempting to escape by hiding on top of a tree.
Items recovered from the site included six locally fabricated pistols, various tools suspected to be used for weapon production, the sum of ₦40,500, and a mobile phone found with the suspect.
Initial findings suggest that the site functioned as an illegal arms factory that supplied firearms to criminal groups within and outside the area. The suspect remains in custody, while security forces have stepped up efforts to locate and arrest other suspects who escaped.
The Force Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE, Major General Moses Gara, praised the troops for their alertness, discipline, and sustained pressure, which led to the discovery of the illegal facility. He urged them to sustain the operational drive and rely on intelligence-based actions to dismantle criminal networks across the Joint Operations Area.
Major General Gara also highlighted the importance of public support, calling on residents to continue providing timely and credible information. He noted that useful intelligence remains key to lasting security and economic development.
