Army parades three armed herders in Benue

•Arrests six terrorists with cash in Yobe
The 72 Special Forces Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Makurdi at the weekend paraded three armed herdsmen it arrested after a gun battle at Tormatar community in Guma Local Council of Benue State.

The commandant, Lt. Col. Suleiman Muhammad, told newsmen that the military got an intelligence report that the suspects were meeting in a camp to launch fresh attacks on the state.

Upon receipt of information, he said the troops swung into action by patrolling the area and arresting, last Thursday, the armed militias.

He said: “On getting to the militia camp, the herdsmen fired at our troops but they immediately returned fire, dislodged them and captured three of them.”

Muhammad gave the names of the suspects as Abubakar Umaru, 23; Adamu Likita, 20, and Yusufa Alhaji Yaro, 20; while one was wounded during the encounter.

Recovered from the suspected herders were two AK 47 riffles and six rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition as well as charms and handsets.

The commandant further confirmed that the army had arrested a key Boko Haram suspect, Aminu Yaminu (akaTashaku), believed to have masterminded most of the recent attacks on Benue.

Speaking with journalists, one of the arrested, Yusufa Alhaji Yaro, admitted that he was a member of armed herdsmen militia from Awe Council area of Nasarawa State, adding that his group had a training camp very close to a river in Gidan Magoro.

His words: “While I was running and trying to escape, the soldiers overpowered and captured me. The gun recovered from me was given to me by one Yakubu who escaped from our camp.”

Meanwhile, troops of the 233 Battalion and Forward Operation Base of the force have arrested six terrorists alongside their collaborator during a raid in the Mingel-Damagum area of Yobe State, 70 kilometres west of Damaturu, the state
capital.

Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, the suspected collaborator, Gambo Idrisa, 30, was in possession of N150,000 and four Tecno handsets.

According to him, the five terrorists are all from Borno State.

He listed them to include Chari Masaa, 40; Gonbuzu Abar, 30; Modu Moduchollo, 20 and Titta Masawa, 20.

Chukwu added: “Another terrorist, Salisu Musa, 30, was also arrested at Sabon Gari Duddaye village in Nangere local council of Yobe State while troops were on a routine patrol of the area.”

He urged the public to report any suspicious movement to security agents for prompt action.