Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing facility in Nasarawa State and arrested a suspect linked to the operation.
The discovery was made during a routine patrol by troops deployed to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Idadu in Agwatashi, Doma Local Government Area.
The Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday, January 26, 2026.
According to the statement, troops of Sector 2 were conducting a fighting and confidence-building patrol aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of action when they uncovered a concealed location suspected to be used for the production of locally fabricated firearms.
“Upon approaching the area, the troops encountered several individuals who fled on sighting the patrol,” the statement said.
One suspect, identified as Baba Ogar, a 26-year-old from Arusu village in Kokona Local Government Area, was apprehended while attempting to evade arrest by hiding on top of a tree.
A search of the site led to the recovery of six locally fabricated pistols, assorted tools believed to be used in the production of illegal weapons, the sum of ₦40,500 and a mobile phone found in the suspect’s possession.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the location served as an illegal arms manufacturing hub, allegedly supplying weapons to criminal elements within and beyond the area.
The arrested suspect is currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to track down other suspects who escaped during the operation.
Reacting to the development, the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their professionalism and vigilance, urging them to sustain intelligence-driven operations to dismantle criminal networks.
He also called on residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, noting that public cooperation remains critical to achieving lasting peace and security in the region.