Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPSW) has killed two suspected armed bandits after they engaged them in a fierce gun battle at Abaji in Shitile, Katsina Ala local government area of Benue state.
The incident which occured Wednesday evening also had nine others injured in the process.
The troops also recovered one AK47 riffle and several ammunition during the encounter with the armed bandits in the area.
According to a source in the area, troops, followed a distress call that suspected armed bandits had gone to launch an attack on Abaji market in the Shitile community killing one villager.
It was further gathered that the troops immediately mobilised to the Market to repel the bandits leading to a heavy shootout between them and the bandits .
A source from Katsina Ala town who pleaded not to be named said troops of OPWS overpowered the bandits killing two of them while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
A soldiers was said to have been also injured during the encounter.
According to the source, the armed bandits had earlier invaded the Abaji market and opened fire on the people, and in the process, killed one traders before troops arrived to repel them.
The troops were said to have pursued after the armed bandits suspected to be Gana boys and neutralized two of them bringing the total number of causalities to three.
“It was around 5pm and 6pm this evening when we suddenly heard gunshots in and around the Abaji market and people started running for dear live. Despite running, the bandits continued shooting and in the process, killed one person.
“We quickly alerted OPWS troops and they responded immediately and came to repel the armed bandits. The army went after the armed gang and engaged them in a gun duel, killing some of them in the process.
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“They (OPWS) were able to kill two of them because we saw two dead bodies in addition to the one person that was earlier killed in the market place, bringing the number of death to three”, the source said.
Speaking to journalists on phone, the Katsina-Ala LG Chairman, Alfred Atera, also confirmed that one person was killed and others injured in the attack.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, in a statement narrated that “On 24/03/2021 at about 6:30pm while traders were closing from Abaji Market in Kastina-Ala Local Government area, bandits who disguised themselves as buyers started shooting sporadically and killed one person while nine others were injured.
“Joint operation of Police and other security agencies returned fire and repelled the bandits to the forest with gunshot injuries where they have been cordoned for search.
She, however, said the corpse of the deceased has been deposited at Primary Healthcare Center, Abaji while those injured persons are receiving medical attention at the General Hospital, Kastina-Ala.
Anene also stated that more patrol teams were immediately drafted to the scene to assist officers on ground for vontinuous cordon and search operation.
The Commander of OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
