Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation WHIRL STROKE, have arrested an 18-year-old motorcycle rider, identified as Aondoyima Agber, in connection with an alleged pipeline vandalism case in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation conducted on October 20, 2026, after security operatives received reports of suspected pipeline vandals operating in Gou community.
According to the military, troops swiftly mobilised to the area, but the other suspects reportedly fled before their arrival Agber was apprehended while allegedly attempting to transport a section of pipeline believed to be linked to the suspected vandalism.
The military said investigations are ongoing to determine where the pipeline section came from and its intended destination.
The suspect remains in military custody pending further directives, while troops have intensified patrols in the area to prevent further attacks on critical national infrastructure and other criminal activities.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters JTF Operation WHIRL STROKE, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, said the Force Commander and General Officer Commanding 5 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their swift response to the intelligence.
Major General Gara warned against the vandalism of public infrastructure, stressing that such acts undermine national development and security.
He also urged residents to support security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities, noting that community cooperation remains vital to sustaining peace and protecting critical infrastructure across the Joint Task Force’s area of responsibility.
