Troops of the Nigerian Army attached to the Operation Whirl Stroke have engaged militiamen in a camp discovered in the Akor community in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, killing scores of the armed men.
The troops, on Saturday while on a clearance operation along Gbajimba to Akor area, found the men armed with AK-47 rifles with large herds of cattle.
A gun battle was said to have ensued, during which the troops dislodged the armed men from their camp.
The army said the troops killed an “unspecified number of the militiamen while others escaped into nearby bushes with gunshot injuries.”
Weapons reportedly recovered from the militia group were one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 rifle magazines, 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and five motorcycles.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, who confirmed the incident, said efforts were on to get other fleeing members of the militia group.
Chukwu said, “Troops deployed in Operation Whirl Stroke in the Guma LGA encountered militiamen with large herds of cattle.
“The troops dislodged the militiamen from their camp following superior firepower. Unspecified numbers of the men were killed by the troops. Efforts are on to get other fleeing members of the militia.”