The force commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, has confirmed that troops have killed 21 herdsmen between Benue and Nasarawa states in the last couple of weeks.
General Ayeni also confirmed the death of a soldier and two others injured last Saturday along Gbamjimba-Akor-Tomata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The force commander, who briefed Journalists on the activities of the Operation Whirl Stroke at Tactical Air Command located along Gboko road, Makurdi on Monday, said that 60 suspects have so far been arrested since the commencement of the operation.
General Yekini said troops carried out raid operation at Tse Akwaza in Katsina Alla Local Government Area of Benue State last Saturday.
He hinted that there was the possibility that troops also killed the most wanted terrorist in the State, Terwase Akwaza aka ‘Gana’.
“During the firefight, the Mi35 spotted a group of about 20 armed herdsmen riding on motorcycles moving along the axis towards Nasarawa State. Fifteen of the armed herdsmen on five motorcycles were neutralized with rocket fire from the Mi35, while others escaped with varying degrees of injury.
“Our troops chased the remaining herdsmen until contact was broken close to the boundary between Nasarawa and Benue states. Plans are in progress to conduct further clearance operations of the border areas between the two states.
“The first was on August 4, 2018, when troops of Sector 2 with the headquarter st Tomata supported by the Air Force reserve conducted clearing operation along Gbamjimba-Akor-Tomata when the troops made contact with armed militiamen moving with large herds of cattle, troops dislodged the armed men from the camp with unspecified number of them suspected to have been killed.
“Although no specific figure of casualty was officially given, troops who participated in the operation were of the opinion that not less than six of the armed men were killed during the fighting.
“The raid operation, which took place at Tse Akwaza camp belonging to Gana in Kastina-Ala, commenced at 0500hours on August 18, 2018 through JatoAka-Kashimbila-Tyotsar axis but was suspended due to bad terrain and damaged bridge at Tyotsar which troops could not cross due to flooding.
“It was not clear if Gana was killed during the assault, but trail of blood seen in the building suspected to be where he slept suggests he might have been hit.
“A motorcycle usually used by Gana was also badly damaged during the air strike, many sacks of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered and burnt,” General Yekini said.