The 707 Special Forces Brigade, Nigerian Army, Makurdi have arrested two Fulani herdsmen who may have been planning a possible attack on the fish farm of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
Spokesman for the Brigade, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Olabisi Ayeni disclosed this in a statement released in Makurdi on Thursday.
He said that when the troops accosted the herdsmen as they opened fire on the troops, engaging them in a shoot out. Army spokesman said that in the course of the shoot out some of the herdsmen fled the area, while the troops arrested two of the herdsmen, who have been handed over to the police.
The Brigade gathered the militia were converging to launch an attack when the troops suddenly discovered them. The statement reads, “Troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade, Nigerian Army, on a routine patrol along Gbajimba – Iyiodeh road in Guma LGA of Benue State on Tuesday 6 February 2018 arrested two Fulani militia who were suspected to be planning a dangerous mission. The troops sighted a group of these militias while on their daily patrol.
“The militia who were suspected to be converging, possibly for an attack on Governor Ortom’s fish farm and other innocent citizens were about to be approached for questioning when they opened fire on the troops who later engaged them.
‘The violent herdsmen who also fought back was at the same time trying to withdraw.”
The Army said, ‘The Special Forces Operators intensified their pursuit and succeeded in arresting two of them while others fled in disarray. The herdsmen had since been handed over to the police.”
