Commandant, 72 Battalion in Makurdi, Lt Colonel Suleiman Mohammed, on Saturday paraded the three armed herdsmen federal troops captured in Benue on Thursday.
The militiamen were interdicted while planning another deadly attack in Guma Local Government Area of the state.
In a shootout that led to the arrest, one of the soldiers on patrol claimed he shot at one of the herdsmen no fewer than 30 bullets from his MG.
According to him, 20-year-old Abubakar Umaru bearing an AK-47 bounced off the bullets, only wounded when he turned round to engage the soldier.
“You only see them small, they are very deadly,” said the soldier.
“The one with injury did not blink an eye when the soldier was firing at him. In fact, 30 bullets were pumped on him until he turned and faced the soldier before bullet could hit his left arm.”
The two others captured are Yusuf Alhaji Yaro and Adam Likita.
Col. Mohammed said, “Immediately they sighted the troops, they engaged them in gunfire, but the troops were able to arrest these suspects.”
Paraded along with the militia herdsmen were AK 47, charms, handset and ammunition.
Umaru and Yusuf, in an interview with newsmen, said they were to meet near a river under a mango tree in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa.
But they denied attacking villagers in Benue, and that the real attackers handed the three of them their weapons, and fled when they saw the soldiers on patrol.