Troops kill two suspected bandits in Kogi ambush, army says
- Army troops of Operation Whirl Stroke ambushed suspected bandits on the Adankolo–Apata Road in Kogi State on Saturday.
- Two bodies were later found in Adankolo Forest, with a locally made pistol and ammunition recovered.
- Major General Moses Gara praised the troops and asked residents to keep passing credible information to security agencies.
Troops of Sector 3, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, killed two suspected bandits in an ambush along the Adankolo–Apata Road in Kogi State on Saturday, the army said.
The operation followed intelligence on the movement of suspected criminals around communities in Kabba-Bunu and Lokoja Local Government Areas, according to statements posted on the Nigerian Army's X handle and shared with reporters.
Soldiers laid ambush on what the army described as a suspected supply route. They made contact with the group, subdued them and forced them to flee, the statements said.
A follow-up search later led troops to Adankolo Forest, where they found the bodies of two suspected bandits. They recovered one locally made pistol, one cartridge and one empty case of 7.62mm special ammunition.
What happens next
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for what the army called a successful operation.
He urged members of the public to keep supporting security agencies with timely and credible information on suspicious activities, saying security remains everybody's responsibility.
Gara also restated the task force's commitment to intelligence-led operations to protect lives and property across its area of responsibility.
For residents of Kabba-Bunu, Lokoja and nearby communities, the army's message is a reminder that it is still asking for tips from the public. People who see suspicious movement are being encouraged to report it to security agencies rather than confront anyone themselves.
The accounts differ slightly on timing. Vanguard reported that the bodies were found at about 9pm, while Leadership put it at about 0900 hours and Punch said the search happened later the same morning. The army's own post, as quoted by Punch, said "Later the same morning".
There was also a difference in the spokesman's rank and name: Vanguard called him Captain Ahmad Zubairu, while Leadership described him as Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, acting Media Information Officer of the operation.
All the reports agree on the core facts: two suspected bandits were killed, the operation was in Kogi State on Saturday, and the same items were recovered.
