Killers of Benue lawyer, pregnant wife, others arrested by soldier

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said soldiers on internal security operations in Benue State have killed one bandit , arrested two others and recovered some arms and ammunition.

The bandits, who have been terrorizing people of the state, were said to have been linked to the recent killing of a Makurdi-based lawyer, his pregnant wife and a blind old man.

Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche , who made this known in a statement, said: “In its resolve to forestall banditry in the North Central zone of the country, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke have neutralized an armed bandit, recovered arms and arrested two other bandits at two locations in Benue State.

“On December 21, 2020, acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed at Karu Village responded to report on the presence of some armed bandits , who had been linked to a recent killing of a Makurdi-based lawyer and his wife, operating around Anguwa-Onmbaagbu general area in Benue State. Troops swiftly mobilized to the identified location where they had contact and engaged the *criminals* in firefight. During the encounter, troops overwhelmed the *bandits* and killed one of them, while others fled with various degrees of gunshot wounds. Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition from the criminal elements.

“In a related development, on same day, following intelligence report on activities of remnants of the late Gana’s militia gangs in parts of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, troops deployed in Benue and Taraba states carried out raid operation on the identified hideout of the *bandits* at Abako village. While conducting a thorough combing of the hideout, troops arrested two of the armed bandits with their arms. The arrested bandits have been handed over to appropriate prosecuting agency for further action”.