STF is at war with militia group in Plateau, says spokesman

The Special Task Force (STF), keeping the peace on the Plateau, on Thursday said that it was at war with a militia group and not civilians. “We are at war with a militia group that killed of six of our men a week ago; we have no quarrel with any civilian populace,’’ STF Spokesman, Capt. Iweha Ikedichi, said in Wase.

Ikedichi told newsmen in a telephone interview that the militia group had allegedly killed six soldiers at Kurmi, a border town between Taraba and Plateau.
He said that three soldiers were missing.

According to him, men of the STF and fighters from the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, are engaged in the fight with the armed group. “It is not true that we are fighting civilians or had gone to Wase to sack any community; the fight is between our men and the militia group. “Wadata and Kadarko communities in Wase were only asked to vacate for security purpose and that does not translate to sacking the communities as is being insinuated,’’ he said.

The STF spokesman explained further: “for some time now, there have been series of attacks at Kurmi settlement where innocent civilians, particularly women and children, were killed’’. He said that it was the last Tuesday’s attack, which affected nine soldiers that forced the STF to engage the militia group in a fierce fight. “As we speak, our men are in a serious fight with the militia group at Kurmi and that is being handled professionally and in accordance with military ethics.

“Some of our men have been stationed to watch over civilians within these communities so that they are not hurt in anyway,’’ he said. He called on the general public to remain calm because the taskforce was on top of the situation. He gave assurance that the taskforce would uproot the militia group and restore peace to the affected communities.