3 soldiers pay the ultimate price for peace in Plateau
They are mostly referred to as ‘Belarus’ in the North East and in Plateau, most people call them the ‘fearless bikers’ who are assisting in the restoration of internal security in the state’s troubled Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
Officially designated men of the Special Forces Team (SFT), 33 of them were deployed to Plateau from the Defence Headquarters on the 25th of June to boost the capabilities of Operation Safe Haven after the attacks that claimed over 200 lives in Barkin Ladi.
But following another attack in Barkin Ladi on September 6th, the Special Forces lost three gallant soldiers; the first of their casualties since they were drafted to Plateau and the largest record of casualty in a day since they started operations in 2014.
Recently turned 36, CPL Effiong Mbuotidem; 30 year old CPL Isah Ojaghale; and 28-year-old LCPL Kingsley Aloue, have paid the ultimate price for peace on the Plateau with their lives. Until their death, Effiong was a beloved husband and father of four; Isah had just gotten married in June and Kingsley was preparing for marriage said the Special Forces Commander, Lt. Commander Isaac Terzungwe Akaazua.
On the 3rd of October, while the three fallen heroes were being laid to rest at the Maxwell Khobe Military cemetery at the 3 Division Headquarters, Rukuba, one of their team mates, Corporal Chuks Onyesi, broke down in tears. “We have been living together since we got to this Plateau. Black Spider (Effiong), Choko (Isah) and I were very close, we understood ourselves, if there was anything any of us could do to bring them back we would do it immediately,” he said.
They all had coded names, while Effiong was called Black Spider, Isah was known as Choko and Kingsley was fondly called Che-che. On the day they died, the three soldiers and another personnel had been separated from their colleagues while trying to ward off bandits in Barkin Ladi.
Narrating the incident, Akaazua said: “When we were called in, we found ourselves in between the militia and the community so we were pushing them but because of their number four of my men had to separate from the main body and when we withdrew we discovered that they were missing. We started looking for them and found their corps with the fourth person alive but injured.”
Though regarded as fearless and ruthless on battle grounds, Corporal Steven