Nigerian Army parades 3 suspected herdsmen involved in Benue killings after fierce gun battleNigerian Army parades 3 suspected herdsmen involved in Benue killings after fierce gun battle

The Nigerian Army yesterday paraded three suspected militants captured by its troops after an exchange of gunfire at Tormatar village in Benue State.

The Commanding Officer of 72 Battalion, Lt. Col. Suleiman Muhammad, said troops of the 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi, apprehended the trio while they were converging on a camp to launch further attacks on the state.

“Troops of the 707 Special Forces Brigade conducted a fighting patrol on a suspected militia herdsmen camp located close to Tormatar village on Thursday. The armed men were massing up for another possible attack on innocent citizens in the local government area. On getting to the militia camp, the herdsmen fired at our troops but the troops immediately returned fire and dislodged them,” he said.

He gave the names of the suspects as; Abubakar Umaru, Adamu Likita and Yusufa Alhaja. One of them was wounded during the gun battle. The weapons recovered from the armed militia include two AK 47 rifles with six rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition, one AK47 rifle and five rounds of 7.62mm special were also found in the bush in Naka village.

One of the suspects, however, told newsmen that they were grazing their cattle when their masters handed them the guns to run away with them after the soldiers engaged them in a gun duel.