One officer and 10 soldiers have been gunned down in what the Nigerian Armt described as ‘unprovoked attack’ by suspected Benue militiamen, on Thursday.
The army also disclosed that the attack took place in Konshisha local government area of Benue State.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Mohammed Yerima, who made the disclosure in a statement, described the act as an unprovoked attack.
The statement titled: ‘Unprovoked Attack on Troops on Stabilisation Operations in Benue State’ read: ”Nigerian Army (NA) troops operating in Benue State came under attack while on routine operational task.
“The troops comprising one officer and ten soldiers were initially declared missing which prompted the deployment of a joint search and rescue team comprising NA troops and personnel of Operation Whirl Stroke.
“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.
“The NA under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru remains resolute in ensuring stability in Benue State as well as other parts of the country that are affected by the activities of criminal gangs.
“The NA remains determined to ensure that this unprovoked attack does not disrupt the general peace being enjoyed by the local inhabitants.
“The COAS has therefore directed commanders on the ground to ensure sustained efforts in order to fish out and deal decisively with these bad elements who are threatening the peace in the area.
“It may be recalled that Benue State 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.
“The NA appeal to the public to volunteer useful information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act”.
