A soldier alongside several others were reportedly killed by bandits in separate attacks in Kwande and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State.

The attacks, according to locals, happened between Saturday and Sunday in the Udedeku community of Maav-Ya, Mkoonmom District of Mbaikyor Council Ward, Turan Jato-Aka and Ochumekwu in Kwande and Apa LGAs respectively.

Several people were reportedly killed and many others were said to have been missing when the bandits invaded the Udedeku community in Kwande.

The Force Commander, Operations Whirl Stroke, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, who spoke to journalists in Makurdi on Monday, confirmed the killing of one of his men.

He said, “Suspected armed bandits have attacked soldiers deployed in Ochumekwu, Apa LGA, killed one personnel, and wounded one.

“The troops in response killed three and injured several of them. They recovered one AK47 and rounds of ammunition from them.”

On the Kwande attack, the OPWS Commander could not confirm the killing in the area but stated that troops were currently carrying out a clearance operation to flush out suspected armed foreign bandits who had invaded the LG.

Also contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said she only heard that some ‘people’ invaded Kwande forest and not killing.

She said, “What I heard was that some people invaded the forest in Kwande but I didn’t hear of killing.”