OPWS deploy troops to the scene of attempted murder on Benue Governor, other flashy points to fight banditry
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Following the last Saturday’s armed militia Herdsmen attack on Governor Samuel Ortom, the military spike code-named Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) has deployed troops to the Tyo-Mu and Abintse general area to fight and eliminate cases of armed banditry.
The Commander, OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini revealed this on Tuesday while fielding questions from Journalists shortly after conducting journalists round the Tyo-Mu general area where Governor Samuel Ortom was reportedly attacked by armed Herdsmen.
Yekini who was at the site of the attack with the Security Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom, Col. Paul Hemba (rtd) explained that his troops immediately moved to the scene in question to clear the mess and assured that his troops would sustain patrol in the area for a while.
“We are here to show you that the general area is clear of any bandits. The security breach is quite unfortunate and immediately combed the area. We should not be judged by this singular assignment. We have accepted it was a security breach and we will take action.” General stated,
The OPWS Commander further explained that since their coming on board three years ago, over 1000 armed criminals have been neutralized, and close to 700 weapons recovered in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States with the highest number of arms recovery made in Benue.
According to Yekini, no day passes by without his troop neutralising bandits in the Sankera axis of Benue state.
He however, urged the people of the Sankera axis comprises of Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala to cooperate with security agencies by giving useful information that would help them flush out criminals in the area.
In the similar vein, the Security Adviser Retired Col. Hembadoon while addressing Journalists at the scene of the attack on governor Ortom, also revealed that five empty shells of bullets were recovered from the area and said no arrest has been made except three local fishermen intercepted in the general area were invited for questioning after which they were allowed to go home.
Hemba commended the swift response of troops of OPWS to the area and other forces, noted that as soon as the troops were alerted, they moved in to comb the area but that the armed bandits had ran away by the time the troops had arrived the area.
“We are at the site of the unfortunate incidence of the attack on Governor Samuel Ortom. He came into his farm and while touring the farm, he went to a small market and on his way back the gunmen who were hiding in the bushes opened fire on him.
“We quickly alerted the OPWS and they immediately responded and gave them a hot chase and have been combing the bushes since then. We commend OPWS for their prompt response.
“The troops combed the bushes and found some makeshift hideouts and burnt them. We couldn’t make any arrest because the bandits ran away as soon as the troops arrived,” Hemba explained.
