SOLDIERS attached to the 72 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Makurdi, Benue State, have intercepted and arrested 73 young men who were travelling from Nasarawa State to Imo State.
According to a report in Punch newspaper, 47 motorcycles were recovered from the young men who were travelling in five trucks.
It was reported that the trucks were conveying some minerals from Plateau State to a Port Harcourt-based company.
Commander of the 72 Special Forces Brigade A. D. Alhassan said the arrest was based on intelligence and security reports.
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Alhassan said his men, who intercepted the trucks in Markurdi, had spent some hours waiting for the travellers before they were arrested at night.
He said a thorough search was conducted on the men. All the goods in the trucks were offloaded and the 47 motorcycles were dismantled for a proper search, according to Alhassan.
He disclosed that no arms were found during the search.
But the young men’s mission in Imo State was not clear.
Imo State has been rocked by violence in recent times, alongside other states in the South East.
Several coordinated attacks on security personnel and facilities in the state have been blamed on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
However Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma had suggested that the attacks were perpetrated by his political enemies.
Also, Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi had, during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme in April, said those behind the attacks were hired bandits.
Although he did not exonerate IPOB and its security outfit – the Eastern Security Networks (ESN)- Umahi said some people who wanted to “get to the top by all means” were hiring bandits to destabilise the peace of the region.
The governor lamented that the country was descending into what he described as ‘extreme politics.’
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