Nigerian Army kill 21 Fulani herdsmen in armed raids over last two weeks while Buhari was away

NIGERIAN Army troops killed 21 Fulani herdsmen in Benue and Nasarawa states over the last two weeks while President Muhammadu Buhari was away from the country coming out on top of several bitter clashes they had.

Over recent years, Nigeria has been plagued with the menace of herdsmen running riot across the country, pillaging farming communities and murdering hundreds. Middle Belt states like Benue and Nasarawa have been particularly badly affected, forcing the government to launch a military campaign against the herdsmen known as Operation Whirl Stroke.

Yesterday, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, the Operation Whirl Stroke force commander, said that during the clashes, one soldier lost his life and two others were injured in a skirmish along the Gbamjimba-Akor-Tomata road in Guma Local Government Area of Benue state. He added that 60 suspects have so far been arrested since the inception of the operation.

General Yekini said that troops carried out raids at Tse Akwaza in Katsina Alla Local Government Area of Benue State last Saturday, which was very successful. Furthermore, he hinted that there was the possibility that troops had killed the most wanted terrorist in the state, Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana.

“During the firefight, the Mi35 spotted a group of about 20 armed herdsmen riding on motorcycles moving along the axis towards Nasarawa State. Some 15 of the armed herdsmen on five motorcycles were neutralised with rocket fire from the Mi35, while others escaped with varying degrees of injury.

“Own troops chased the remaining herdsmen until contact was broken close to the boundary between Nasarawa and Benue State. Plans are in progress to conduct further clearance operations of the border areas between the two states," General Yekini added.

According to the commander, it was not clear if Gana was killed during the assault but a trail of blood seen in the building suspected to be where he slept suggests he might have been hit. Also, a motorcycle usually used by Gana was badly damaged during the air strike and many sacks of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered and burnt, General Yekini added.