The troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have dismantled an illegal arms manufacturing hub in Agwatashi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, disrupting a suspected supply chain of locally made firearms to criminal groups operating within and beyond the area.
A statement by OPWS information Officer, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, stated that the breakthrough was recorded during a fighting and confidence-building patrol by troops stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Idadu, as part of intensified operations to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and criminal activity.
During the operation, the troops uncovered a concealed site allegedly used for the fabrication of firearms.
Several suspects fled on sighting the patrol, but one individual, identified as Baba Ogar, a 26-year-old male from Arusu village in Kokona Local Government Area, was arrested while attempting to escape by hiding on a tree.
Items recovered from the site included six locally fabricated pistols, assorted tools and equipment used for weapon production, N40,500 in cash, and a mobile phone found in the suspect’s possession.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the facility served as an illegal arms factory supplying weapons to criminal elements, raising concerns over the spread of small arms fueling insecurity in the area.
The suspect according to Zubairu is currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to track and arrest other accomplices who escaped during the operation.
Commending the troops, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, described the operation as a testament to sustained operational pressure, professionalism and effective patrol strategies.
He urged the troops to sustain the tempo and deepen intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks across the Joint Operations Area, while also calling on residents to support security agencies with timely and credible information.
Major General Gara noted that active public cooperation remains critical to achieving lasting peace and creating a secure environment for economic growth.
