Soldiers, militias in fresh gun battle in Benue

Troops of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) were yesterday engaged in a heavy gun duel with armed militia believed to be herders in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the soldiers were on patrol of the area along Gbajimba-IyordyeAkaahena communities in Guma when the gunmen ambushed them and allegedly killed one of the troops while two others were injured.

But, the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Adeyemi Mutiu Yekini, said he couldn’t confirm any casualties at the time of sending this report because his men were still in the field.

“Yes, troops encountered herdsmen. But, right now, (5:10pm), they are still in the bush so I can’t say if there are any causalities until they come back,” he said.

Yekini, who spoke to our correspondent by telephone, assured that he would expatiate on the matter at a later time when he gets all the details of the fresh hostility against his troop.

The OPWS had on July 3, 2018, confirmed the killing of two soldiers and injuring of five others while they carried out cordon and search operations at Barkin Kota village in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State by suspected herdsmen during a gun duel.

In a similar development, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Wednesday, August 1, precisely a fortnight ago raised alarm over alleged invasion of part of the state by herdsmen with more than 10,000 cows to cause unrest.

Ortom alleged that the sudden invasion was being backed by some powerful people as part of a grand plan to further destabilize the state.

The governor also told newsmen in Makurdi that the reports reaching him from the Guma Council boss, Anthony Shawon, indicated that the herders had already taken over part of the area and were grazing freely.

“I have been told that after the Operation Whirl Stroke succeeded in chasing away the herdsmen, they have started moving into Guma again as at yesterday (July 31). I have already informed the Commander of OPWS and I hope security agencies will take up the matter,” Ortom said.

The OPWS had in early July carried out two major operations coded Dark Down and Deadly Strike as well as supported by Mi35 helicopter of the Air Force to rid Benue State of deadly armed militia men traversing the axis of Benue borders up to Akpanaja in Nasarawa State.