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Army arrests three militias with weapons in Benue

By Joseph Wantu, Makurdi
28 April 2018   |   3:14 am
Troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi have arrested three militia herdsmen with weapons at Tormatar village in Guma Council of Benue state. Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 707 Special Forces Brigade, Makurdi, Major Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, in a press release made available to The Guardian, yesterday in Makurdi, explained that the arrest took…


Troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi have arrested three militia herdsmen with weapons at Tormatar village in Guma Council of Benue state.

Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 707 Special Forces Brigade, Makurdi, Major Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, in a press release made available to The Guardian, yesterday in Makurdi, explained that the arrest took place on Thursday when troops conducted a fighting patrol to a suspected militia herdsmen camp located close to Tormatar village when the armed herdsmen were massing up for another possible attack in the council.

He said: “On getting to the militia camp, the herdsmen fired at the troops, who immediately return fire and dislodge the militia.

“The troops in the process arrested three of the militia, out of which one was wounded during the gun battle.”

He listed the weapons recovered from the militia to include two AK 47 rifles with six rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, adding: “The militia were identified as Abubakar Umaru, Adamu Likita and Yusufa Alhaja.

“Similarly one AK 47 rifle and five rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition were found in the bush by troops conducting search of the general area of Naka village in Gwer West Council on April 25.

“The militia men are currently being investigated.”

He assured that the Army would leave no stone unturned to bring militia herders and any other criminal in the state to justice.

Meanwhile, the Tiv Area Traditional Council, (TAC) has described as barbaric, condemnable, inhuman and satanic, the killing of two Catholic priests, worshippers and other people in the state by armed herdsmen.

TAC, in a communiqué made available to The Guardian, yesterday, after its emergency meeting in Gboko, appealled to President Muhammadu Buhari to diligently investigate the circumstances that led to the massacre of the priests and worshipers, as well as military invasion of Naka town, with the view to identifying the culprits and bringing them to justice.

The Council called on the President to use his position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerians Armed Forces to stop forthwith, the genocide and massacre of the Tiv people and other tribes in the state, Nasarawa and Taraba states, as well as the country, adding: “The invasion of Naka town on the account of alleged killing of a soldier, which resulted to lost of lives and destruction of property, was uncalled for, since the local authority was making efforts to unravel circumstances around the killing.

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