Soldiers, Students Clash Over Girlfriend in Benue Community

Troops stationed in Abako town, located in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, engaged in a confrontation with secondary school students over a female student.

The incident led to enraged secondary school students setting fire to an army checkpoint in Abako town. In response, soldiers allegedly opened fire on the students, resulting in some of them sustaining injuries.

According to a teacher at the school, Peter Anande, the conflict began when a soldier, who was in a romantic relationship with a female student named Veronica, bought her a pair of earrings.

Abako town, situated in the Sankera geo-political bloc of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, was previously dominated by the late gang leader Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana.

Peter Anande informed the media via phone that the soldier purchased earrings for his girlfriend, who then wore them to school. However, the head girl of the school confiscated them, as such earrings were prohibited within the school premises.

The student, Vero, subsequently reported the confiscation to the soldiers stationed at the checkpoint.

Anande explained, “While it was break time, the head girl proceeded to the main market to get breakfast, and at the checkpoint, she was harassed and assaulted by the soldiers for seizing the earring.”

“A teacher who heard the incident rushed to the army checkpoint, he was also harassed and battered,” said Anande.

When news of the harassment spread within the school, the students mobilized and launched an attack on the soldiers stationed at the checkpoint.

“The soldiers at the checkpoint fired at the students but they overpowered them and set the checkpoint ablaze and opened up the road, using the barricaded tyres and wood to make bonfire.”

Tension rose in Katsina-Ala as residents, who had long been advocating for the removal of soldiers from the area, expressed their frustration over troops engaging in personal affairs with secondary school students instead of focusing on security concerns.

They demanded the immediate withdrawal of soldiers from Abako town.

The Police Area Command in the region confirmed the incident and reported that normalcy had been restored.

At the time of reporting, the school administration indicated that they intended to hire a lawyer to submit a formal petition to the Chief of Army Staff in Abuja.