The Benue State government on Sunday allayed the fears of residents of Onyagede community in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state who earlier raised an alarm over the landing of a strange helicopter, which continued to drop suspicious looking men who were poorly dressed in military uniforms in their domain.
Special Adviser on Security Matters to the State Governor, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (rtd) in an interaction with newsmen in Makurdi said the helicopter hovering in the community belonged to a coal miner.
Our correspondent reports that the residents of Onyagede, a rural community had at the weekend told newsmen that the helicopter repeatedly in the past five days brought in strange military men to their locality.
The residents alleged that the incident was already causing panic among the villagers, therefore urging the military, police and other security agencies in the state to quickly check the potential threat to their peaceful community and its environs.
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But, Hemba, in a quick reaction to the alarm raised by the Onyagede people, stressed the need for the residents to remain calm because the police and the military were keeping surveillance on all areas prone to threats of security.
A former council Chairman of Ohimini, Musa Alechenu, said that on Friday alone, the helicopter landed three times after which a retired soldier in the community noted that they were not soldiers.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, said the command was yet to receive any intelligence on danger alert from its divisional office in the local government.
