The Benue State Security Council has met with a charge on traditional rulers and other stakeholders to ensure that all the weapons taken from the murdered soldiers are returned unconditionally.
The Next Edition recalls that 12 soldiers deployed to ensure peace between waring Konshisha and Oju local government areas, were killed last week by militia men.
Governor Ortom who briefed journalists on the resolutions reached after an expanded Security Council meeting held in Government House, Makurdi, said the meeting was meant to discuss the military operations and to give update on the true situation in Konshisha communities.
Governor Ortom dismissed the speculation making rife in the state that over 70 people were killed instead of 6 people who died during the operation including two bandits with an AK 47 recovered from one of the militia.
According to him, the security council also confirmed that militia men were responsible for the killing of soldiers and resolved that all those involved in killing of soldiers be arrested and the guns taken away by the bandits be returned unconditionally.
The security council further agreed that to resolve the crisis, a boundary demarcation be carried out between Konshisha and Oju local government areas of the state as soon as possible.
The meeting condemned in strong terms, the killing of the soldiers and expressed condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief of Army Staff and families of the officers and men.
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Stakeholders were advised to restrain themselves from making inflammatory statements and allow the government and security agencies to handle the matter.
The meeting appreciated the military for accepting the plea of the State Government not to further escalate the destruction of lives and property of innocent citizens in the affected communities of Konshisha.
The meeting equally appreciated traditional rulers and other stakeholders for ensuring that some of the arms were returned and urged them to do more for the recovery of all the weapons.
Meanwhile, the governor has directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to activate its response team to address the humanitarian situation in Konshisha as many have been displaced from their settlements and livelihood razed.
