Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has ordered the leaders of Konshisha community to prevail on residents who stole military weapons to return them immediately.
Ortom in a statement in Makurdi, the state capital, on Friday, appealed to the military as well as other parties to the raging violence in the area to exercise restraint.
The governor’s statement read, “Following the crisis between communities in Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas resulting in the current military operation in some communities, I, on behalf of Benue State Government, call for restraint on all sides, including the military.
“I have already directed leaders of the affected areas to ensure that the weapons the bandits took away from the military personnel deployed to bring peace between the warring communities are retuned without delay.
“I further urge members of those communities to expose perpetrators of the unprovoked attacks on the military as such an act is condemnable and also capable of jeopardizing the efforts Government has made to guarantee the return of peace to the area.
“I however urge the military to avoid civilian casualties and protect law abiding people while efforts are on to recover their missing weapons.”
Residents of the area have alleged that no fewer than 70 innocent persons were killed during an invasion by the military.