Troops of the Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE (JTF OPWS) have arrested suspected herders for allegedly encroaching on and destroying cultivated farmlands in Makurdi, Benue State, as part of ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities capable of triggering communal conflict.
According to an official signed statement by the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, the suspects were arrested by troops of the Maritime Component following a distress call from farmers at Lower Benue Basin, Ejaha London, Makurdi, on July 18, 2026.
The statement said the farmers reported that suspected Fulani herders had driven cattle into their farms, resulting in extensive damage to crops.
It stated that troops operating from the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) Jetty immediately mobilised to the location, where they found cattle grazing freely on cultivated farmland.
According to the statement, crops destroyed during the incident included rice, maize, okro and tomatoes.
The military disclosed that upon sighting the troops, the herders abandoned the cattle and attempted to flee the scene but were subsequently apprehended.
The suspects have been handed over to the 401 Provost Group for further investigation and subsequent transfer to the appropriate authorities for prosecution over alleged farm encroachment and malicious grazing.
The Force Commander, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, Major General Moses Gara, warned against criminal activities capable of escalating tensions and fuelling violent conflicts.
He reiterated that Operation WHIRL STROKE maintains zero tolerance for criminality and other unlawful activities, while urging residents to promptly report suspicious or illegal activities to security agencies to enable swift intervention.
