The effort of the Nigerian Army to fish out criminals and protect farmlands in Benue State and it environ on the ongoing Exercise Ayem Akpatuma is yielding tremendous result as troops of Sector 1 Sub-Sector A, deployed at Yelwata while on routine patrol arrested 10 herdsmen destroying farmland at Tse-Tigir and Tse-Ndugh villages on Monday 26 February 2018.
While in the act of destroying the farmland the herdsmen sighted the aggressive troops and fled into the Bush. The determined troops pursued and arrest them.
Items recovered were : 5 motorcycle, 2 machetes, some assorted charms and the sum of One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira (N 120,000:00) only. Suspect and items were handed over to the Nigerian Police for further necessary action.
The Nigerian Army is determine to fish out criminals and recover weapons use in killing innocent citizens. Therefore the public is please requested to cooperate and support the Army on the ongoing exercise.
In a similar vein, troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade conducting Exercise Akpatuma arrested 5 suspected cultists on Sunday 25 February 2018 at Katsina Ala local government area of Benue State.
Preliminary investigation conducted revealed that
the suspects were said to be students of College of Education, Katsina Ala who were about to be initiated as new members.
Troops acted on credible information followed by raid operations which led to their arrest.
The suspects arrested are, Mr Dennis Victor Terfa, Mr Emmanuel Daniel Akpagher, Mr Akuse Jacob Aondongu, Mr Kpo Isaac and Mr Idika Kelechi.
Similarly troops operating at Sector C of same Exercise carried out cordon and search operations at Ukum Local Government Area which also led to the arrest of gun runners and cattle rustler.
Among the suspects arrested is a 55 year old weapon Instructor, Mr Samuel Gaza, who is a member of the Livestock Guard confessed to have been rustling cows for over 4 years before he was recruited by the state government,while Mr Jato Aontoseer, confess that he is a gun runner, Mr Avaatyough Aontoseer is a weapon fabricator.
Items recovered are: one Fabrique National rifle, 3 Fabrique National and AK 47 magazines, one locally made pistol, 3 dane guns, 4 mobile phones and one axe, military belt, lanyard and a beret, charms, some quantity of indian hemp.
The Nigerian Army therefore requests law abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses and provide timely information that will assist the Army in the successful conduct of the exercise.
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