Nigerian Army confirms killing of 11 personnel in Benue

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of one officer and 10 soldiers who were on stabilisation operation in Benue State by yet to be identified criminals.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Mohammed Yerima, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Yerima, a brigadier general, said the Nigerian army personnel were initially declared missing which led to the deployment of a joint search and rescue team comprising army troops and personnel of Operation Whirl Stroke.

He said the search and rescue team unfortunately found all the missing troops dead in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, while the bodies of the slain troops were evacuated immediately, efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators of this heinous crime with a view to bringing them to justice.

Mr Yerima said that Nigerian Army under the leadership of its chief, Ibrahim Attahiru, would remain resolute in ensuring stability in Benue and other parts of the country that are affected by the activities of criminal gangs.

He gave assurance that the army authority was determined to ensure that the unprovoked attack does not disrupt the general peace being enjoyed by the local inhabitants.

According to him, the chief of staff for the Nigerian Army has therefore directed commanders on the ground to ensure sustained efforts to fish out and deal decisively with these bad elements who are threatening the peace in the area.

“It may be recalled that Benue which was a hot bed for violent clashes has been enjoying relative peace following the successes achieved by the various security agencies who have been working tirelessly to safeguard law abiding citizens and ensure they go about their legitimate business without fear of harassment by criminals.

“The Nigerian army appeals to the public to volunteer useful information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” he said. (NAN)