Troops kill 2 bandits in Benue

 

Troops of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Thursday trailed a group of bandits to their camp close to the boundary between Benue and Nasarawa states, killing two of them.

The troops also recovered two AK47 riffles and other weapons from the armed militia camp.

The armed herdsmen were said to have earlier  Wednesday, invaded Tse- Torkula community in Guma local government area of Benue state and killed two people before the troops of the OPWS were alerted.

A resident, who identified himself as Uma Titus Jande, told Blueprint that the invaders stormed Torkula village at about 6pm shooting sporadically in all directions before they were repelled by security men stationed around the area.

“It was about 6pm Wednesday evening that we suddenly heared sounds of gunshots in our community.

“Some of the security men in the area were alerted and they immediately moved towards the direction of the shooting and pushed back the attackers.

“We also alerted troops of the OPWS stationed at neighbouring Umenger and Ukaa communities, but before they could get there, the herdsmen had fled to their camp, located at the border towards Nasarawa state.

“I believe the troops of OPWS decided to go after the herdsmen, searching for them till early hours of this morning when they stormed their camp near the Benue/Nasarawa boundary,” Jande said.

Another villager living close to the area who ran with her family to Umenger for safety, Mrs. Dorcas Mdzer, said she sighted the soldiers destroying the camp of the armed herdsmen and burning everything in sight.

Mrs. Mdzer further said she was preparing evening meal for the family when she heard gunshots close to their house.

“On looking closely, I saw some soldiers exchanging gunfire with some herdsmen who had built tents in our village. When the sounds of gunshots became too intense, I gathered my children and ran towards Umenger.

“After sometimes, we saw the soldiers with some dead bodies in their vehicle heading towards Daudu.” 

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