Troops of the Joint Task Force under Operation WHIRL STROKE have successfully foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Otukpo–Enugu Expressway in Benue State, rescuing 24 passengers and forcing the attackers to flee.
The incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on December 22, 2025, after troops on routine patrol received a distress call and quickly moved to the Amoda axis in Ohimini Local Government Area. According to a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, armed criminals had emerged from the bush and briefly taken over an existing checkpoint.
The assailants stopped two 18-seater commercial buses travelling from Jos in Plateau State to Ibadan in Oyo State and attempted to abduct all the passengers. However, the swift response of Operation WHIRL STROKE troops led to a firefight, forcing the kidnappers to abandon their victims and escape into the bush.
In the initial operation, 15 passengers were rescued and handed over to the Nigerian Police Division in Otukpo. Six adults and four minors were initially reported missing, but follow-up operations led to the rescue of five additional adults and all four minors, who are now in the custody of the Police Area Command in Otukpo. Search efforts are ongoing to locate one remaining passenger.
Reacting to the development, the Force Commander of Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their swift action and professionalism. He reaffirmed the Task Force’s commitment to protecting lives and property across its area of responsibility, stressing that sustained offensive operations, intelligence-led patrols, and collaboration with other security agencies would continue.
Major General Gara also extended Christmas and Yuletide greetings to Christians within the Joint Operations Area covering Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States. He urged residents to remain united, reject violence, and uphold the values of love, humility, tolerance, and compassion, especially during the festive season and beyond.
