The Nigerian army has taken responsibility for the attack, which resulted in burning down of houses in a Benue community on Thursday.

The Army said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of a soldier by some residents of the community.

This was made known by Olabisi Ayeni, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi, who identified the slain soldier as Danlami Gambo.

The soldier was said to have been alone when he was killed in unclear circumstances on Wednesday afternoon.

The soldier was thereafter buried in a shallow grave, according to the Army spokesperson.

The apparent reprisal by the army resulted in the death of one elderly citizen who was killed in the blaze.

Olabisi who said that preliminary investigations revealed that some locals were involved in the killings of the soldier, did not say if the soldiers who participated in the reprisal attack that left a senior citizen dead would be punished for the offence or not.

Also confirming the military’s attack on the community, Francis Ayagah, chairman of the local government told newsmen that the soldiers were responsible for the attack.

While confirming the killing of a soldier in the community, Ayagah said he had been in touch with the commander of the troops stationed near the town to check ongoing killings linked to herdsmen across Benue State.

Mr. Ayyagah who earlier confirmed the arrest of five suspects linked to the death of the military personnel, expressed his dismay that the soldiers could still embark on rampage across the town despite his cooperation.

A member of the community said that the military official who was roaming on a farmland near the community, was lynched by hoodlums who mistook him for an intruder, saying that there have been reports that some killers were sighted in military fatigues in the state over the past weeks.

Another account said that the slain soldier went to buy bread in large quantity in the community and when asked to identify himself by curious residents, he declined to do so and was subsequently assumed to be an attacker and mobbed to death.

The attack by the soldiers has resulted in many people running away from the town because there’s nobody to protect them from attacks by gunmen.

According to reports, the situation had been made worse by the withdrawal of police Special Forces from the community following a clash between the officers and commercial motorcyclists a few weeks ago.

This website had earlier reported how about 20 houses were set ablaze in gunmen in military camoflague.

www.saharareporters.com/2018/04/20/nigerian-army-takes-responsibility-benue-attack


See pictures of the houses burnt https://www.nairaland.com/4461564/houses-burnt-naka-benue-men

Elements of the national army of a country behaving like animals.

Some call it zoo, some said shithole is better. Nigeria is finished, danjuma was right. Fulani herdsmen have killed many forcemen,why didnt they react in same mannar thet are reacting now? Ire ooo.

that is Good for Benue state people next time u won't Vote for buhari again and Incase U vote for him in 2019 then the whole of Benue will be finished

Wow!

I remember one naval personnel from Benue who was threatening to level the whole of igboland a few years ago because of IPOB.
I wonder where the idiot is now

The zoological Republic of Nigeria!

The Animal kingdom where the Nigerian Army attacks communities!

Same way the attacked the Afara community of Kanu

I don't think that people realise in civilised countries, no one ever sees the Army come out of the baraks unless there is a national emergency

Haba. This is grossly unacceptable.

The death of a soldier is painful and regrettable But why burn down a whole community instead of fishing out the culprit(s)?
How is this different from the jungle justice we love to condemn?

Benue People are already going through hell in the hand of the terrorist herdsmen. The least they should get from the army is succor and not further torment.

I'm saddened by this unfortunate news. Nigeria shouldn't be a jungle where anything goes.

Nnamdi kanu was right afterall, this country is actually a zoo. Lately we've been hearing things like....


Soldiers : "why we burnt houses"

Miyetti Allah : "why we attacked"

I think is high time Benue indigenes should ponder and ask where they have got it wrong.
Something is telling me that all these misfortunes happening to them are karma's from their crime against Biafrans during the war.
The gods are angry with Benue.. Innocent blood they help Nigerian army and Fulani's to slaughter have been crying for vengeance.
I pity them.. God have metcy

Another account said that the slain soldier went to buy bread in large quantity in the community and when asked to identify himself by curious residents, he declined to do so and was subsequently assumed to be an attacker and mobbed to death.



Just imagine

f

Your wailings, hate speeches, tweets are still useless,



Get your Pvc!!!

I can't believe that the military establishment can give an official statement for an unauthorized revenge attack by some disgruntled military personnel

A member of the community said that the military official who was roaming on a farmland near the community, was lynched by hoodlums who mistook him for an intruder, saying that there have been reports that some killers were sighted in military fatigues in the state over the past weeks.

Na dem Zoogerian python

As in you have a reason

And its making sense to you?

Anyway, no be una fault

zoo republic

Can you just imagine the amount of nonsense? Please, someone should tell Trump not to sell sophisticated weapons to the Nigerian military cos this is the type of thing they would use it to do.

for the dead

While this madness was happening yesterday, the reports that my colleague (a Benue indigene) got live via a phone call was that soldiers were burning houses in reprisal of the killing of a soldier. The deceased soldier in question was among a group of soldiers that were walking in the bush in the company of herdsmen. The villagers have had enough experience of seeing herdsmen dress in soldier uniform to wreck havoc in the past. They did not know that this soldier was real!!

The real question is why would soldiers of the Nigerian Army be escorting herdsmen grazing their cattle on foot, through the bush and not on their trucks or troop carriers as it should be?

Hmm.

The most useless army on d planet. Bunch of cowards that only attack innocent civilians.

Jungle justice went wrong

Nnamdi Kanu, a man whose IQ is probably way over 130 predicted all these things but Nigerian yoots, with their 67 IQ lazy brains castigated him.

Buhari is mad - Kanu
Fraudgeria is a Shithole - Trump
Nigerian yoots are useless - Buhari

Good morning Benue
Enjoy your Changi, Neajeriyans

Benue people have suffered in this regime!!!

It is finished

This is a reason why Civilians should also be armed! When civilians are allowed to possess arms, the security outifits will respect the citizens.