Two officials of Konshisha LGA and two traditional rulers have been detained in connection with the killing of 11 soldiers and a captain in Bonta village, Benue state, Governor Samuel Ortom announced on Monday.
Ortom who stated this while reading the resolution of the state security council, said the four suspects had useful information that could lead to the arrest of those who killed the soldiers.
Those arrested are Sam Kave, deputy chairman, Konshisha LGA; Tersoo Mela, councillor representing Mbatser/Mbaguza ward; Unaha Koko, the district head of Iwarnyam and Emmanuel Adegbenda, head of Bonta.
According to the governor, the security council in collaboration with other stakeholders had recovered eight AK-47 machine guns.
Ortom said, “The council commended the minister of defence and service chiefs for allowing the state government and its security council to wade into the matter and help recover the lost weapons instead of the military going to do so themselves.”
“Since then, we have not slept. We did everything to ensure that we recover the arms and by the grace of God, we are able to recover eight AK47 plus the one the army recovered themselves earlier making it nine.
“We also recovered the machine gun that the militia took from them too and all the recovered weapons have been handed over to the army already.”
Ortom further revealed that the Benue state executive council will meet to discuss how to compensate the families of the 12 military personnel.
Alabingo.com had reported that 11 soldiers and one officer were killed on April 5 while on an operation to restore peace between warring communities in Konshisha and Oju LGAs in Benue State.
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