Soldiers kill 4 bandits, rescue kidnapped couple in Benue

Soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) at the weekend killed four bandits during an exchange of gunfire in the Kastina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

Also, in a separate operation, the soldiers on Sunday rescued two kidnap victims – a man, Jude Orune and his pregnant wife – from the den of their abductors in a remote forest in Sengev council ward of Guma LGA of the state.

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Daily Trust gathered from the local dwellers that the couple were kidnapped at 5:30 pm on Sunday but that the prompt distress call to the troops closest to the area led to their quick rescue.

A local said that the soldiers pursued after the bandits who in turn engaged the troops in a gun battle but were eventually overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the troops such that they fled leaving behind their victims.

In the same vein, villagers said that the soldiers stationed in Gbise in Katsina-Ala had during a patrol in the area encountered and killed three bandits at the Hundu-Ado community in Mbatyula council ward.

The soldiers were also said to have neutralised the fourth bandit during a joint patrol in Waya,Yaaz, and Turan in Kwande LGA of Benue in collaboration with their counterparts of Taraba state around Kashimbila in Takum LGA, a border town between the two states.

A military source who declined his name in print, said it was true that the incidents happened, adding that the troops encountered armed bandits and herdsmen at a makeshift camp in the affected areas but were able to contain them.

The source further disclosed that the soldiers captured alive one 15-year-old, Yusuf Koriya, whom they have already handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, the OPWS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Flying Officer, Audu Katty, hadn’t at the time of this report officially responded to the incidents.

Also, the Police Spokesperson for Benue command, DSP Catherine Anene, couldn’t yet confirm the custody of the arrested bandit as her telephone was switched off.