Reports from Benue state says the army has killed four armed people suspected to be herdsmen.
This was after the alleged herdsmen were said to have killed two villagers, with several other villagers said to have sustained some gun wounds in Agasha community in Guma LGA, Benue state. They also carried out attacks on church worshippers holding a vigil in Tomatar Iwendyer which is a community under Logo LGA in Benue state and left casualties.
The armed herdsmen were tracked to a camp close to the Benue river in the early hours of the morning by the troops of the Nigerian army attached to operation whirl stroke in a rapid response, where they were engaged, and four of the herdsmen were killed in the attack with weapons also recovered.
The force commander of operation whirl stroke, Major General Adeyemi Yekini said this while speaking to journalists today, “Please be informed that some suspected armed herdsmen infiltrated Agasha in Guma LGA of Benue State and killed two villagers overnight.
“The OPWS troops on patrol in the area immediately mobilised to the scene, but the herdsmen had fled before their arrival. Troops subsequently tracked the assailants through some of the nearby communities overnight, while other troops who were deployed at Tomatar across the river also in Guma blocked the escape route towards Nasarawa State.
“At about 6 am this morning, troops had contact with the armed herdsmen at a makeshift camp close to the Benue River during which four of the assailants were killed, while troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, four magazines and 65 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the bandits.”
The army major also pointed out that his troops were not harmed during the operation are presently sweeping the areas.