No fewer than 11 soldiers have been killed by gunmen after troops came under attack while on a routine operational task in Konshisha local government area of Benue state.
Spokesman for the Nigerian Army, Mohammed Yerima, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
TheCable reported that the soldiers, who were declared missing, were later found dead after a search mission was conducted.
“The troops comprising one officer and ten soldiers were initially declared missing which prompted the deployment of a joint search and rescue team comprising NA troops and personnel of Operation Whirl Stroke,” Yerima said.
“The search and rescue team unfortunately found all the missing troops dead in Konshisha LGA of Benue State. While the bodies of the slain troops were evacuated immediately, efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators of this heinous crime with a view to bringing them to Justice.
“It may be recalled that Benue State which was a hot bed for violent clashes has been enjoying relative peace following the successes achieved by the various security agencies who have been working tirelessly to safeguard law abiding citizens and ensure they go about their legitimate business without fear of harassment by criminals.
Yerima said the army under the leadership of the chief of army staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, is determined to ensure that peace is maintained in the state and other parts of the country affected by criminal activities.
