Police kill four suspected armed bandits in Benue

Four suspected armed bandits were on Friday night killed by policemen in Benue State.

The bandits were said to have been killed at Ukum local government area of the state while on their way to attack a village called Gbajire in the council area.

Bodies of the killed bandits were brought to police headquarters in Makurdi on Saturday morning.

Men of the joint security task force codenamed Operation Zenda were said to have intercepted the bandits who were going on operation to attack the villagers.

Those killed were identified to include one Solo Orafaga, John Tyoakoso, Jude aka Headboy and another unidentified member of the gang.

Leader of Operation Zenda,CSP, Gberindyer Justin who spoke to newsmen at the police headquarters, Makurdi on Saturday said that the bandits were killed by his men during an operation in Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

He disclosed that the bandits were ambushed after his men got intelligence information that they were on their way to attack a village called Gbagire in Ukum LGA.

According to him, “Unknown to the bandits, all their calls were being tracked by the intelligence unit and were carefully followed up as they executed plans on how to attack the village.

Justin said that the bandits who were going on operation were about 20 and stated that aside those four bandits that were killed, many others ran into the nearby bushes with bullet wounds.

Items recovered from them include; one (1) AK-47 rifle, one (1) G3 rifle, one locally-made revolver pistol, seventy-five (75) rounds of 6.72x39mm live ammunition, 5 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, AK-47 magazines, three G3 magazines, and fifty-nine (59) rounds of 7.62x49mm live ammunition.