Nigeria, Jan. 5 -- Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke have recovered a cache of assault rifles, ammunition and grenades in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, in a raid the military said delivered a major blow against criminal networks operating in the Benue-Taraba axis.

The Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Ahmad Zubairu, said the army carried out the raid on Sunday after becoming aware of the movement of an associate of a notorious criminal kingpin, John Ngata.

He said soldiers swiftly mounted a snap roadblock at Zaki-Biam, Benue State, where the suspect was intercepted without resistance.

"Following preliminary interrogation, the suspect voluntarily led troops to a concealed armoury belonging to the cr...