Army Deploys Special Forces to Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa!

Army Deploys Special Forces to Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa!

Reported by Mustapha Labake Omowumi (Journalist)| Sele Media Africa Journalist

In a renewed effort to strengthen internal security and curb rising insecurity in vulnerable communities across the North‑Central region, the Nigerian Army has deployed specially trained special forces to Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa States. The strategic deployment aims to boost the operational capacity of troops combating banditry, armed violence, and other criminal activities in key hotspots.
According to a statement released by the Acting Spokesperson for Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), the newly deployed unit Chief of Army Staff Special Intervention Battalion XV was redeployed as a force multiplier to reinforce the joint task force presently conducting security operations in the region.
The troops, who successfully completed an intensive special forces training program at the Nigerian Army Training Centre, Kontagora, have arrived in the joint operational areas with “high morale and combat readiness,” the statement added. The deployment follows ongoing efforts to stabilise farming communities and protect livelihoods disrupted by persistent insecurity.
Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff, approved the deployment to complement existing military operations under OPWS a multi‑agency security arrangement tasked with countering banditry and violent criminal networks in the North‑Central corridor. The initiative is also designed to restore normalcy and support socio‑economic activities in communities previously impacted by violence.
Commanders welcomed the troops upon arrival, urging them to apply their special training with professionalism and discipline in the challenging operational environment. Emphasis was placed on maintaining positive engagements with host communities while upholding human rights standards during all military operations.
Security analysts say this deployment underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to tackling insecurity in the region as households and farming communities continue to face threats from armed elements who have disrupted agricultural production and movement along major rural routes.

Citations:
1.Premium Times Nigeria
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/855673-chief-of-army-staff-deploys-special-forces-to-benue-nasarawa-taraba.html

2.Punch Nigeria
https://punchng.com/insecurity-army-deploys-special-forces-to-benue-others/

3.The Will News
https://thewillnews.com/civil-military-cooperation-reducing-farmer-herder-clashes-in-benue-nasarawa-taraba-borders-opws/

About The Author

Mustapha Labake Omowumi

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Mustapha Labake Omowumi is a journalist from Ibadan, Oyo State, and a graduate of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics and Mathematics. He demonstrates a strong commitment to professional journalism, with a keen interest in writing and storytelling, guided by principles of self-discipline, accuracy, and trustworthiness.

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