Two officials of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue state and two traditional rulers have been detained in connection with the killing of 11 soldiers and an officer in Bonta village.
Governor Samuel Ortom, disclosed this on Monday after a security meeting at the Government House, Makurdi, adding that their arrest was part of the resolution of the at the meeting.
He said those arrested include the Deputy Chairman, Konshisha LGA, Sam Kave, the
Councillor representing Mbatser/Mbaguza ward,
Tersoo Mela, the district head of Iwarnyam, Unaha Koko and the village head of Bonta, Emmanuel Adegbenda.
Ortom said the four suspects had useful information that could lead to the arrest of those who murdered the soldiers.
The soldiers were killed on April 5 while on an operation to restore peace between warring communities in Konshisha and Oju LGAs.
Ortom said the council in collaboration with other stakeholders had recovered eight AK-47 machine guns.
According to him, “The council commended the minister of defence and service chiefs for allowing the state government and its security council to wade into the matter and help recover the lost weapons instead of the military going to do so themselves”.
The governor said, “Since then, we have not slept. We did everything to ensure that we recover the arms and by the $grace of God we are able to recover eight AK47 plus the one the army recovered themselves earlier making it nine.
“We also recovered the machine gun that the militia took from them too and all the recovered weapons have been handed over to the army already.”
Ortom assured that the Benue state executive council will meet to discuss how to assist the families of the 12 military personnel.
