Troops Recover Weapons, Illicit Drugs in Benue, Kebbi Raids

Nigerian troops recovered weapons, explosives, and illicit drugs in coordinated raids across Benue and Kebbi States this week, in operations the military described as a significant blow to armed groups operating in both regions of the country.

In Kebbi State, troops overran a Lakurawa terrorist position, recovering rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices, and other weapons during an intensified offensive against the group, which has expanded its presence along Nigeria’s northwestern border in recent months. Military officials said the operation disrupted the group’s logistics capacity in the area.

Benue Operation Yields Drugs and Arms

In Benue State, a separate operation led to the recovery of weapons and illicit drugs from suspected criminal elements operating in communities that have experienced recurring violence in 2026. The operation came in the same week that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association alleged that men detained in an earlier Benue kidnapping case were innocent travellers, raising questions about the accuracy of some arrests in the state.

Military spokespersons said both operations formed part of a sustained, multi-front campaign against banditry, terrorism, and organised crime across Nigeria’s north and middle belt. Troops separately arrested 12 suspected ISWAP collaborators and seized logistics materials in Borno State during the same period, reflecting the breadth of ongoing counter-insurgency activity.

Operation Clean Sweep III Targets Matazu Axis

Furthermore, the military launched Operation CLEAN SWEEP III in the Matazu axis of Katsina State following the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar in bandit captivity, intensifying the offensive against bandit networks blamed for his kidnapping and death. Consequently, security forces are simultaneously degrading terrorist logistics in the northwest while pursuing accountability for high-profile abductions affecting senior citizens and military veterans.