- An Army colonel has been killed along the Kastina-Ala-Takum Expressway
- The colonel who was travelling from Lagos to Takum in Taraba satte was said to be killed by some suspected armed robbers
- Also, soldiers are said to have allegedly stormed the town were the incident occurred for a reprisal attack
A Nigerian army colonel has been reportedly killed by some gunmen in Benue state.
The colonel, Punch reports was on transit along the Kastina-Ala-Takum Expressway on Sunday, December 17, when the incident occurred.
Sources said the senior military officer was travelling from Lagos to Takum in Taraba state when he was killed on Sattii Agrigi Road.
Also, some soldiers were said to have stored the town where the incident happened in a reprisal attack.
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Some houses belonging to residents of Kastina Ala town were said to have been burnt down by the angry soldiers.
"As I am talking to you now, Katsina Ala is in ruins as soldiers invaded our town in reprisal for the killing of the colonel," a resident of the town said.
The Katsina-Ala-Takum Expressway has been blocked as soldiers have been demanding that we produce the killers of the army officer," the resident added.
Also confirming the killing of the colonel, the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, said it was an armed robbery incident.
Ortom however, debunked claims that some soldiers burnt down houses in Kastina Ala.
He said, if any of such happened, it was the handiwork of some miscreants.
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“I was told of the killing of a colonel in Katsina-Ala. He was in uniform and coming from Lagos towards Tarkum.
The killing created a crisis in the area; we were told that the military men went after the perpetrators. The case is being treated as an armed robbery case," Ortom said.
He further admonished residents remain calm and go about their business without fear.
The governor also assured the residents that his security adviser and the state security chiefs have been deployed to the area.
Meanwhile, the Benue state police command spokesman, Moses Yamu, said he was not aware of the incident.
Yamu said the military should be in the position to give information on the incident.
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that a retired military major general, Lawrence Ugbo, and seven others were killed in a crisis that rocked Ugboju district in Otukpo local government area of Benue state.
The retired general was killed in a crisis which broke out in the district on Wednesday, September 13.
Seven other residents of the district were also said to have been killed while many others were left injured.
Southern Kaduna killings: part 1 - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Tuesday, 19 December 2017