Bandits Kill Soldier, Others in Benue Attacks

Several people, including a soldier were reportedly killed by suspected bandits in separate attacks in Kwande and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State. The attacks, according to some locals, happened between Saturday and Sunday in the Udedeku community of Maav-Ya, Mkoonmom district of Mbaikyor, Turan Jato-Aka and Ochumekwu in Kwande and  Apa LGAs respectively. Several people were reportedly killed and many others were said to have been missing when the bandits invaded the Udedeku community in Kwande.

The Force Commander, Operations Whirl Stroke, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, who spoke to journalists in Makurdi, on Monday, confirmed the killing of one of his troops.He said, “Suspected bandits have attacked soldiers deployed in Ochumekwu, Apa LGA, killed one soldier, and wounded one. “The troops in response killed three and injured several of them. They recovered one AK47 and rounds of ammunitions from them.

On the Kwande attack, the OPWS Commander could not confirm any killing in the area but stated that troops were currently carrying out a clearance operation to flush out suspected foreign bandits who had invaded the LGA.

When contacted by our correspondent, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said she only heard that some people invaded  Kwande forest and not about any killing. She said, “What I heard was that some people invaded the forest in Kwande but I didn’t hear of any killing.

Source: Punch