BENUE: Soldiers reportedly go berserk, burn houses as unknown gunmen kill senior military officer

A group of unknown gunmen have killed a yet-to-be identified army colonel who was coming from Lagos and traveling to Takum in Taraba State.

The senior army officer according to reports was on transit along the Katsina-Ala-Takum Expressway within Benue State on Sunday when the gunmen ambushed and killed him at Sattii Agrigi along the Katsina-Ala-Takum Expressway.

However, the killing of the army colonel has reportedly fueled a reprisal attack as some soldiers stormed Katsina Ala town and allegedly burnt some houses in the town.

Recounting the reprisal attack by the army officials a resident of the area said; “As I am talking to you now, Katsina Ala is in ruins as soldiers invaded our town in reprisal for the killing of the colonel.

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“The Katsina-Ala-Takum Expressway has been blocked as soldiers have been demanding that we produce the killers of the army officer.”

The murder of the army colonel was confirmed by the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, who said he died in an armed robbery attack.

The Governor also denied the alleged invasion and burning of houses in Katsina Ala town by the army.

He said, “I was told of the killing of a colonel in Katsina-Ala. He was in uniform and coming from Lagos towards Tarkum.’

“The killing created a crisis in the area; we were told that the military men went after the perpetrators.”
“The case is being treated as an armed robbery case.”

 

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