Troops Kill Five As Bandits Invade Benue Community

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Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke on Saturday neutralized five armed bandits and injured some during an air raid of their hideouts on the border between Benue and Nasarawa states.

The armed bandits, according to local sources had in the early hours of Saturday attacked residents of Anune community on Naka Road in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.

One of the local sources who identified himself as Tyonum said that the bandits stormed the community and shot some persons dead and injured others.

Tyonum added, “As soon as leaders in the community heard of the shooting, they contacted authorities who later sent the information to OPWS troops who swiftly went after the attackers.

“A few hours after, we sighted a helicopter hovering over our community as well as some soldiers in trucks moving into the forest where the attackers had earlier retreated to.

“About two hours later, we saw one of the trucks which conveyed five corpses of the bandits who had earlier attacked our community.”

Tyonum said that the attack was unprovoked and added that it was the sporadic gunshots that woke up some of the residents.

A military source confirmed an operation in the Anune community on Naka road.

“There was a distress call from a local government official about the invasion of Anune community by bandits and troops dispatched to the area were able to neutralize five of the bandits.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer,  DSP Catherine Anene. confirmed the attack on the village.

“Today 17/4/2021 at about 4.30 am, information was received that gunmen invaded Anune, Naka Road, Makurdi. A team of Police officers has been deployed to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order. Further information will be communicated to you please,” she said.

Efforts to get the Force Commander of OPWS, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, to comment on the matter failed as his phone lines were switched off.