Military recovers dangerous weapons in Agatu

Several weapons have been recovered in two communities of Agatu Local Government Area in Benue State following a military operation in the vicinity on Monday.

Acting director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, in a statement said, “Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in conjunction with NAF Special Forces as well as 72 Battlion troops in the early hours of Monday carried out a cordon and search operation in Odogoke and Odejo communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State to apprehend bandits following deadly clashes on 23 March 2020. During the operation, the bandits flee from the area abandoning their weapons.

“Items recovered from the two settlements include:one double barrel gun, nineteen locally made rifles, one pistol, four rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, three cartridges for pump action rifle among other accoutrements,” the statement said.

Onyeuko added that normalcy had returned to the communities and general security in the area remains calm, emphasising that troops dominated the general area with fighting patrols to ensure peace and stability in the area.

Daily Trust reports that penultimate week, two communities in Agatu LGA fought over a fish pond to such extent that five people were allegedly killed in the renewed bitter rivalry among the warring villagers.

The two communities; Aila and Egba had taken the laws into their hands as they engaged themselves a in free for all fight over the age long disputed fish pond while they blamed each other for hiring militias to unleash the mayhem.