Photo: Troops arrest nine gang members linking to Benue Killing

Troops of ninety three Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Takum, Taraba State, have arrested 9 well-armed militia from Benue, claiming to be members of government sponsored security volunteers.

The armed gang were arrested at Arufu, a boundary city between Taraba and Benue States, a military intelligence source told PRNigeria on Tuesday

Five of the suspects were armed with AK-45 rifles fully loaded. On their arrest, a reinforcement of a purported Civilian JTF group came to stop the troops from taking them to custody.

The military source more disclosed that when the soldiers stood their ground, the armed militia’s reinforcement later withdrew.

The officer said: “During the preliminary investigation the in remission armed gang claimed that the weapons were issued to them by one Aliyu Tashaku through an agent of government.

“The suspects also confirmed that they were sixty in number in their own camp situated at Gbeyi, Benue State.

“However, more investigation disclosed that they were quite 700 and well-armed at the camp where they were trained by selected  ex-service men on a monthly allowance of N15,000.00 from their sponsors.”

Meanwhile, the suspects are cooperating with their investigators whereas security operatives are conducting more investigations to unravel the real sponsors of the armed gang and their motives.