BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Benin City, Edo Nigeria – The Nigerian Army, on Friday confirmed the killing of its personnel by gunmen who attacked military patrol vehicle at traffic lights by First East Circular Road junction, along Akpakpava road in Benin City, last Wednesday.
The army also said that a manhunt for the attackers had begun.
Capt. Yemi Sokoya, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian army stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Benin City.
Capt. Sokoya said that media reports suggesting that the hoodlums made away with Ghana-Must-Go bags containing money were inaccurate.
He further said that efforts are ongoing with other security agencies to arrest the suspects and bring them to book.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a series of inaccurate narratives in the media space in respect of an attack on a military hilux vehicle at Akpakpava road by some armed gunmen on Wednesday, 23 August 2023.
“Contrary to several reports, a clerk from 4 Brigade Finance office and a driver went to town to fix the office printer and also stopped at WEMA bank to process and collect a bank statement.
“The armed gang in a red Toyota Camry car, who must have trailed and noticed that the soldiers were not armed, opened fire on the vehicle, at a traffic light junction probably thinking the soldiers were carrying money.
“But when they discovered that the vehicle was empty, they zoomed off. Unfortunately, some of the bullets hit the driver on the chest and he died”, Capt. Sokoya stated.
He however explained that the report that the armed robbers made away with huge cash in a Ghana-Must-Go bag was also incorrect.
“A lot of reports have insinuated that the armed robbers made away with huge cash in a Ghana-Must-Go bag. That is entirely false, as no cash was involved”, the army PRO said.
