Nigerian Army arrest 11 over missing of soldier

Soldiers have arrested eleven persons in Numan over the missing of  a soldier after he was allegedly attacked by Bachama youths in Opalo village on Tuesday. 



Sources alleged that the youths who mounted road blocks in the area stopped the soldier,  hacked him and his  commercial driver to death while on their way to  Kabawa village. 

There has been tension in the area since the killing of more than 55 Fulani women and children in November  last year  which resulted in to a reprisal attacks that killed dozens of people Bachama communities Speaking to journalists in his office on Thursday, Brigadier General Bello Muhammad,  the Commander of the 23 Armoured Brigade in Yola confirmed that a soldier went missing in Opalo and that eleven persons where arrested including a district head. 

He said the army was working with the paramount ruler of the area, Hama Bachama Stephen Irmiya who is assisting in the search for the missing soldier. Residents alleged that angry  soldiers  razed  houses in the village, an accusation the army commander denied, saying soldiers operate within the parameters of the law. 

Angry youths barricaded Yola-Gombe road at Numan yesterday morning  and burnt two vehicles, Earlier in a meeting with community leaders from four local government areas of Numan, Lamorde. Demsa and Gire, the Commander blamed political and community leaders in the state for politicising the conflict, saying the command had resolved to tackle the problem at all costs. He said the military would not tolerate the mounting of road blocks  by civilians, warning residents not to take the laws in to their hands.