The remains of the 12 military personnel, one captain and 11 soldiers, who lost their lives in the hands of militia boys in Benue state have been buried.
State Governor, Samuel Ortom who spoke during the burial at the Military Cemetery, Wurukum, Makurdi on Monday, condoled President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff over the killing of 12 military personnel in Bonta Village, Konshisha Local government area of the state.
Ortom also apologized to leadership of security forces in the country as well as families of the soldiers with a vow that his government would collaborate with security agencies to ensure that all those who perpetrated the act would be fished out and brought to book.
Governor Ortom regretted the death of the Army personnel in the hands of the militia while trying to ensure peace in troubled areas of the state.
“We condemn the killing of the soldiers who were out to maintain peace. Attack on security men is attack on all. The attack was uncalled for and unwarranted. They were out to keep peace and got killed in the process otherwise, we all know what soldiers would ordinarily do in such a situation.”
The Governor also passionately appealed to the families of the deceased soldiers to forgive him for uncomplimentary comments he may have made in the course of the situation saying he said that based on the information available to him at that time.
“If I said anything that was offensive to the families, I ask for their forgiveness. I earlier said only two soldiers were involved based on the information available to me at that time.”
Conducting the funeral service, the Chaplain of 73 Battalion, Major Ibrahim Mavisky, and the Imam, Captain AA Bashir, both noted that there is time to be born and time to die saying, “we brought nothing to this world and we shall surely leave with nothing.”
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They noted that the fallen heroes were peace makers who went out not for evil but for peace and regrettably met their death in the process.
He prayed God to console the entire Nigerian Army and the immediate families they left behind and also for the souls that God should grant them eternal rest.
It would be recalled that the deceased military personnel including Capt. Adeolu Adedayo and 11 soldiers met their death while they were trying to clear an illegal roadblocks that was mounted by Bonta boys at Bonta Village in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state on Easter Monday.
Their remains were buried in the presence of the Governor Samuel Ortom, Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, the Commanding Officer, 72 Battalion, military personnel as well as family members of the deceased soldiers.
