Following the communal crisis that broke out between Ibilla and Ukpa communities in Oju Local Government area of Benue State, the joint Military Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) has rested 10 suspects, recovered 16 riffle and several ammunition in different parts of the communities.
The two border communities were engulfed in crisis over delineation exercises being embarked upon by the National Population Commission (NPC) recently.
It was gathered that NPC officials of National Office had arrived the area to carry out delineation exercise when some members of the two communities took up arms against one another and started shooting sporadically in all directions and, destroyed several houses.
Our correspondent further gathered that the joint Military Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) and 72 Battalion were immediately contacted and swiftly drafted to the area and in the process arrested 10 suspects, recovered 16 firearms and 59 rounds of ammunition.
A source from one of the warring communities who pleaded not to be named told joutnalists that the arrival of the Troops to Ibilla and Ukpa communities brought the situation under control.
He further said that the joint troops carried out a two-day cordon and search operation to be able to arrest the culprits.
According to him, on the first day that the army arrived at the areas, they arrested nine people, recovered nine firearms, 59 rounds of ammunition, eight cutlasses, two axes, nine handsets and one Volkswagen.
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The troops were also said to have raided the two communities last Sunday night during which they recovered seven more firearms and arrested one more suspect.
“The boys thought that the soldiers had left and had again come out in the night for further attacks when the soldiers swooped in on them and arrested nine of them with some arms and ammunition.”
The source could not, however, tell where the suspects were taken to but our Correspondent gathered from security sources that they were moved to Makurdi for further interrogation.
When contacted, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini declined to comment on the matter but referred our correspondent to Defense Headquarters.
