The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of one officer and 10 soldiers who were on routine operational task operation in Benue State by some criminal gangs.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Mohammed Yerima, made this disclosure in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Yerima, the troops were initially declared missing which prompted the deployment of a joint search and rescue team comprising Nigeria Army troops and personnel of Operation Whirl Stroke.
He stated that the search and rescue team unfortunately found all the missing troops dead in Konshisha LGA of Benue State. 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.
Yerima further 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.
