The Nigerian Army has revealed how one officer and 10 soldiers initially declared missing were found dead in in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue state.
The troops who were on stabilisation operation were initially declared missing which led to the deployment of a joint search and rescue team comprising army troops and personnel of Operation Whirl Stroke to Benue by the Army.
However, the search and rescue team unfortunately found all the missing troops dead in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, Director, Army Public Relations, disclosed in a statement on Thursday.
Yerima added that 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.
Yerima said that Nigerian Army under the leadership of the Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, would remain resolute in ensuring stability in Benue and other parts of the country that are affected by the activities of criminal gangs.
He gave assurance that the army authority was determined to ensure that the unprovoked attack does not disrupt the general peace being enjoyed by the local inhabitants.
According to him, the COAS has therefore directed commanders on the ground to ensure sustained efforts to fish out and deal decisively with these bad elements who are threatening the peace in the area.
“It may be recalled that Benue 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.
“The Nigerian army appeal to the public to volunteer useful information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” he said.