About 30 soldiers unleashed terror on citizens in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, yesterday.
The soldiers who allegedly belong to the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Makurdi, unleashed mayhem on residents over the killing of their colleague by suspected cultists in Benue state.
According to eyewitness accounts, the soldiers beat up youths, looted private properties, sexually harassed women, damaged buildings and vehicles,which sent residents scampering indoors and traders abandoning their shops.
According to reports from The Guardian, the soldiers went from street to street looting and harassing women and children.
The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Matthew Oku, who confirmed the incident assured that no life was lost in the fracas.
Guardian reports:
Oku said that that at about 11:50am, the Police received a distress call that a group of persons were converging on Mainland Hotel, along NASME road.
“Police immediately went to the scene, and on getting there, met a group of people in military uniform. We noticed the soldiers had a problem with inhabitants of the area. The soldiers alleged that the civilians injured one of their personnel.
“There was trouble in the area. People were attacked and injured including policemen who were there. No life was lost. The Police are still investigating the matter to ascertain what really happened. Normalcy has, however, returned as Commissioner of Police, CP Dibal Yakadi and other senior government officials visited the scene,” said Oku.
According to CP Yakadi: “Some people in military uniform attacked locals in the North Bank and destroyed property. But we are on top of the situation now.”
The Police PPRO, who disclosed that no arrests had been made, as at the time of filing this report, urged members of the public not to take the law into their hands, but maintain peace, as the Police would do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to book, no matter how highly placed they are.
President of the North Bank Development Association, Ibrahim Ndabagi, called on appropriate authorities to make the perpetrators pay for their crimes.
Ndabagi said: “They harassed our women, stole our property and beat up young innocent people for no just reason. They were even moving into a commercial bank when youths mobilized and chased them away.”
The ensuing protest by the youths held travellers hostage for over five hours on the Makurdi/Lafia/Abuja expressway, in long queues of vehicles.
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Terkimbi Kyange, who ran into the protest, described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, saying the House would take up the matter and ensure justice is done.
“How can soldiers, meant to protect life and property, carry out such a heinous act? Imagine the level of destruction done and they have forced people, especially women and children, to live in fear,” Kyange said.
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