The Nigerian Army has defended its operations in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State, saying its troops were on operation aimed at safeguarding lives and property of citizens in the area before they were attacked by suspected armed bandits.
Speaking at the fourth National Human Rights Commission and Nigerian military dialogue on human rights, the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army, Major General Adamu Abubakar, said the troops were attacked by some gun runners and armed bandits in Kopa, Dagma and Gagaw villages of Bosso Local Government Area.
General Abubakar vowed that the military would deal with any violent threat to national security.
It was a day of sorrow and tears for some residents of Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State as the Nigerian military repelled an attack on troops of 31 Artillery Brigade.
The troops were said to be on an internal security operation in the area before they were attacked by alleged gun runners.
The soldiers responded and killed eight of the attackers.
Presenting a progress report on civil-military relations, the dialogue facilitator, Olawale Fapohunda, advised the Federal Government to reduce the burden of internal security placed on the military.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Professor Bem Angwe, appealed to the Federal Government to promptly pay the entitlements of soldiers who died lives defending the nation to their families.
Although the August 6 encounter between the military and the alleged gun runners has been brought under control, the military expressed concerns about the activities of gun runners in the region.
It said their activities had direct bearing on the influx of weapons in some parts of the federal capital territory and the north-west geo-political zone.