Soldiers Kill Ombatse Leader, Arrest Others

Nigerian soldiers

Troops deployed to contain the violent communal clashes in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have killed the leader of the Ombatse militia group who allegedly led the attack that claimed over 30 lives in some communities in the area, a police source told The PUNCH on Monday.

The body of the militant leader whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of this report, and three other assailants were said to have been deposited at an undisclosed hospital in Lafia, the state capital.

The deceased was said to have been killed when he went to demand for the release of his men that were detained by the police.

Three Ombatse militants who were on the same mission with the slain leader were said to have been apprehended by the police and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia.

Scores of warring Eggon and Alago youths were also arrested by the police and detained at the state command headquarters

The Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Cornelius Ocholi, who confirmed the incident on the phone, explained that three unidentified assailants were killed in the crisis and that four others who sustained injuries had been taken to Dahaltu Specialist Hospital, Lafia, for treatment.

Detachments of policemen were seen at the police command headquarters, waiting to be deployed in the flashpoint where violent clashes between the Eggon and Alago ethnic groups had claimed many lives and property. Many, mostly women and children, were also displaced.

The Army authorities had deployed soldiers to contain the violence and wanton killings by the Ombatse militia group and the reprisal attacks by Alago youths in Obi Local Government Area.

Armed troops have also taken over strategic parts of Lafia and other parts of the state to prevent a possible surprise attack on the town by militants identified as Ombatse members.

Meanwhile, the National Youth Service Corps has said it will not redeploy corps members serving in the state.

No fewer than 30 persons were feared killed in renewed skirmishes between Eggon and Alago ethnic groups in Obi, headquarters of Obi Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday.

The NYSC State Director, Mrs. Bolanle Olabanji, told one of our correspondents that NYSC had evacuated affected serving corps members to safety.

She said there was no plan to post them out of the state.

“We cannot redeploy them because that will mean posting them out of the state. The only thing is that we can repost them within the state if the crisis continues. We just moved them out of the crisis. By tomorrow (Monday) we will meet to discuss our next plan,” she said.

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