The Benue State Police Command has arrested seven foreign nationals over a questionable mission to Nigeria and Benue in particular.
Briefing journalists in Makurdi, the Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, said the Divisional Police Officer in Otukpo received intelligence on 1st July about strange foreign lodgers at a local hotel and discovered seven Pakistanis who could not provide a credible contact person, luggage trail or explanation for their claimed electronics business.
He noted that they arrived in Nigeria separately from different countries before assembling in Lagos, a pattern typical of criminal movements, and have since been transferred to Abuja for further investigation on strong suspicion of terrorism...To Read The Full Content; Tap Here Now .
In separate operations, the Command neutralised four suspected armed bandits on 2nd July during a dawn raid by Operation Zenda on a hideout at Seyoo Gbajimba in Guma local government area , recovering a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, six rounds of live ammunition, mobile phones and charms.
On the same day, officers of B Division, Makurdi, recovered four pistols concealed inside a sealed engine oil gallon from a Sharon bus arriving from Anyigba in Kogi state after a suspect fled at the motor park.
Nwadiogbu dismissed reports of bandit roadblocks on the Makurdi-Lafia highway as false and mischievous, stating that patrol teams swept through the entire route and found travellers moving freely.
He also gave an update on the assassination of Professor Gabriel Saawua Nyityo and his younger brother in Adaka community on 8th July, confirming the arrest of the 23-year-old principal suspect, Abdullahi Usman, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Lafia and further arrests through collaboration with security agencies in Nasarawa state.
He said many other criminal activities were tackled at different locations leading to arrests, recovery of weapons, charms, 2 motorcycles, and drugs among others.
…Troops foil mass abduction at Monguno
In a related development, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have successfully foiled an attempted mass abduction by ISWAP terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, Borno state, at about 1:30 a.m. on 19 July 2026.
This was contained in a statement Sunday by Acting Military Information Officer Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni.
Blueprint.ng reports that the FGGC facility is currently being utilised by the Borno State Government as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
He said the suspected terrorists reportedly gained access into the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators in an attempt to abduct students.
“Alert security personnel immediately engaged the terrorists with coordinated and overwhelming firepower, effectively stalling their advance with Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force (QRF) immediately reinforcing the school.
“Confronted by the superior combat capability and determined resistance of the security forces, the terrorists were forced to abandon their criminal mission and flee in confusion without achieving their objective,” he said.
Goni noted that during the encounter, parts of the school infrastructure sustained damage but the attempt was well contained by troops in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force personnel.
He further noted that following the operation, troops successfully rescued and evacuated all 46 students to Kinnasara Barracks, Monguno, where they received immediate medical assessment and appropriate care.
“All rescued students have been confirmed medically stable and no student was abducted. Regrettably, some students were fatally struck by the sporadic gunfire from the terrorists during the firefight.
“Operation HADIN KAI extends its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and reassures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard the lives of residents and protect critical public institutions across the North East in liaison with the Borno State Government.
“Exploitation of the incident is ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspected collaborators, while troops and other security agencies are actively tracking the fleeing terrorists.
“Operation HADIN KAI remains steadfast in its commitment to sustaining relentless pressure on terrorist elements, denying them freedom of action, dismantling their operational capability, and ensuring that educational institutions and other critical infrastructure across the North East remain safe and secure,” the statement reads in part,” he said.
Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports troops rescued seven kidnapped victims, neutralised two kidnappers, arrested four suspected ISWAP terrorists and collaborators.
The troops also recovered arms, ammunition and other items in coordinated operations across Borno, Yobe, Benue and Plateau states.
An operational reports obtained Sunday by the agency said troops of Operation Hadin Kai rescued two women and two minors who escaped from an ISWAP enclave in the Agapalawa area of the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza local government area of Borno state.
The reports added that a woman and her child, believed to be family members of an ISWAP terrorist, also surrendered to troops after fleeing the Gobara enclave in the Sambisa Forest.
According to the reports, troops in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) arrested four suspected ISWAP terrorists in Gwoza, Gujba and Kukawa LGAs of Borno and Yobe.
“One of the suspects confessed to spying on troops conducting clearance operations along the Baga–Cross Kauwa road and supplying logistics to terrorists,” it said.
The reports said troops also foiled an attempt by ISWAP fighters to infiltrate Kirawa in Gwoza, forcing them to abandon a motorcycle, while a Nigerian Air Force aircraft later neutralised another terrorist moving towards Marte.
“In a separate operation, troops discovered and safely detonated an improvised explosive device planted along the Maiduguri–Gamboru highway in Dikwa LGA, averting a potential attack on commuters.
“In Benue, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE, supported by local hunters and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, rescued four kidnapped victims and neutralised two kidnappers during clearance operations in Katsina-Ala.
The troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, one G3 rifle, one pistol, 221 rounds of ammunition of different calibres, magazines, military camouflage uniforms and a Point-of-Sale terminal from the kidnappers’ hideouts,” it added.
The reports added that troops arrested five suspected militia members during follow-up raids on criminal enclaves in Otukpo LGA, recovering a Dane gun and ammunition.
In Plateau, it said troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE recovered a locally fabricated rifle and ammunition from a suspected terrorist hideout in the Agingi–Dogon Dutse mountainous area of Bassa LGA.
The reports also said troops intercepted 15 jerrycans of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Mubi North LGA, while troops of Operation DELTA SAFE dismantled an illegal refining site and recovered equipment used for crude oil theft in Rivers. (NAN)