SOLDIERS from the 72 Battalion in Makurdi have arrested eight suspected militiamen in Udei believed to have participated in the murder of an army officer, Lt. Chinedu Anyanwu and soldier.
The soldiers in four Hilux vans on Tuesday drove the arrested militiamen with their hands tied behind their backs into the Benue State Police Command Headquarters by 6.30 p.m.
Shortly after the militiamen were paraded in the headquarters, hundreds of residents trooped to the headquarters to catch a glimpse of the fighters.
The eight militiamen were formally handed over to detectives of the police command for interrogation.
Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Alaribe Ejike told The Guardian that he was yet to receive briefing on the arrest of the militiamen from the Criminal Investigation Department.
He, however, stated that the military and police were working to bring the fighting in the area under control.
Addressing journalists in Naka yesterday, traditional ruler of Gwer West, Ter Nagi, Daniel Abomtse, refuted the claim that the army officer and soldier were killed by the Tiv militiamen arrested by the soldiers in Udei.
He said that the soldiers were killed few days ago by Fulani herdsmen and their bodies were already decomposing when they were discovered.