KWUPO to petition army headquarters over killings in Kwande

By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi

The President-General, Kwande United People’s Organization, Comrade Aloko Nachi Simon said the organization has concluded arrangements to petition army headquarters as well as take legal actions over the Army’s killing of locales in Kwande.

The position of KWUPO followed the killing of three students of Government Science Secondary School Jato-Aka, in Kwande LGA of Benue State on Tuesday from stray bullets during an alleged fierce gun battle between troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) and bandits in the area.

THE AUTHORITY NEWS gathered that the troops also neutralized two bandits during the gun duel which occurred on the same Tuesday at about 4 pm.

A source who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation disclosed to THE AUTHORITY NEWS that, trouble started when the Nigerian Army personnel attached to a Chinese mining firm stationed at Tarkom, a settlement along the Jato-Aka–Kashimbila road, were approached to escort some youths to Ikpengezwa, another settlement along the same route, to bury the remains of a deceased district head of Nzaav, Zaki Hanave Laha.

The Army personnel, the source further revealed, were approached by the burial committee to help escort the people and the corpse to the village for burial. The sum of N470, 000 was made available to the Army personnel as token for services. An offer the soldiers turned down the offer.

Left with no choice, the burial committee decided to take the corpse to the village for burial by themselves, a development the source said may have offended the army who went after the youths.

“It was while the burial was ongoing that the soldiers stormed the area and started chasing the youths. In the process, a young man identified as Mr. Iorsuur, who attempted to inquire why they were being chased from the burial ceremony was allegedly shot dead on the spot.

The source added that before their very eyes, the second and third victims who were students were also gunned down and later died in the hospital. He alleged that Mr. Iorsuur’s body was whisked away by soldiers to an undisclosed location.

These developments were said to have angered the students who protested the heinous act of the security men, and followed them to their station where they still started shooting at them.

“Left with no other option, the students and youths vented their anger on the Palace and home of Mue-Ter Ichongo, Chief Simon Baver and razed both down, calling on authorities to take their soldiers away.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer PPRO, Benue State command, DSP Udeme Edet said that the students were not attacked but killed by stray bullets when soldiers engage bandits in a gun duel.

In her words “It is not killing of students, the military team were coming back from their patrol and on their way sighted some hoodlums with firearms on a bike. While chasing them the hoodlums opened fire at the military and the military repelled them. It was in that process that unknowingly stray bullets hit three students of Government Science Secondary School Jato-Aka.

“On arrival at the hospital, sadly one of the students was confirmed dead by the doctor, while the two others are responding to treatment. Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Kwande Local Government, Hon. Vitalis Neji, Ter Kwande, HRH. Engr. Timothy Ahile and the President-General of Kwande United People’s Organization, Comrade Aloko Nachi Simon have jointly visited on Wednesday October 1, 2025 to identify with the people.

The Chairman of Kwande Local Government and ALGON Chairman of Benue State, Vitalis Neji, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Iortsor, lamented the killings, describing it as unfortunate.

He called on the people to remain calm assuring them of government action to avoid a repeat.

Ter Kwande, Chief Timothy Ahile has asked the people to remain calm and implored military to leave the place, adding that the Police and Civil Protection Guards are the only security needed in the area as “the have killed my children enough.”