Reports from Benue has indicated that Nigerian Army invaded Naka village in Gwer West local government area of Benue state on Thursday, April 19, 2018, and set residential apartments ablaze that were within the locality over the killing of a soldier by a local police.
The soldiers were reported to have set several houses ablaze and at the same time vandalize properties estimated to worth over millions of Naira.
Francis Ayagah, Chairman of the LGA, told reporters that the attack that was carried out by the soldiers was a reprisal over the killing of one of their colleagues, by name Private Danlami Gambo, near the community on Wednesday, April 18.
“A whole part of the town has been completely burnt down and we’re appealing for help and understanding from the soldiers.”
Ayagah has reported that most of the homes that were set ablaze by the furious soldiers have belonged to innocent people and not the suspected killers of the soldier.
The Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Major Olabisi Ayeniin a statement that he made earlier, the slain soldier had been murdered and their corpse buried in a shallow grave by some youths in Naka.
The statement read:
“On 18 April 2018, at about 3:30 pm, troops of 707 Sf Brigade deployed at Naka in Gwer West LGA of Benue State observed the absence of PTE Danlami Gambo from his duty post. The soldier’s rifle was however found at the location.
“It was gathered that the soldier was last seen receiving a phone call but left in search of network and did not return. Troops immediately conducted patrols to search for the soldier during the search, at about 6.10 pm, our troops observed blood stains along a footpath leading to a newly dug grave.
“They immediately dug out the grave and the dead body of the missing soldier was found butchered. The corpse was later exhumed and deposited at the Nigerian Air Force mortuary, Makurdi.”
He further revealed that preliminary investigations indicated that some indigenes were partakers in the killing which led to the dispatch of a team of troops that affected the arrest of some suspects.
