Traditional ruler arrested in Benue State after arms are discovered in his palace during army raid

SOLDIERS attached to the Nigerian Army's Operation Whirl Stroke campaign have recovered arms and ammunition from the palace of the Mue Ter Cha His Royal Highness Chief Utambe Adzer in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

During a daring raid over the weekend, the troops also found weapons at the palace of a local district head Chief Teran Kwanghbo While the monarch was arrested, the latter escaped with AK-47 rifles through the back door when soldiers stormed the palace on Saturday after receiving intelligence reports.

One military source said: “Troops swooped on the houses of two persons discovered to be district heads in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State on Saturday and some arms and ammunition were recovered." He added that one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, 20 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one locally made mortar tube and one vehicle were recovered from Chief Adzer.

 One local source added: "We saw that the military has arrested the chief and we also saw them bringing out some arms which we heard were discovered in his house. They equally razed the round hut located in the palace suspected to be housing the weapons and some criminal elements.”