Ten Islamic fundamentalists were killed on Tuesday in Okene, near Lokoja in Kogi during a bloody encounter between an Islamic sect and men of the Nigerian Army.

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt in Lokoja that soldiers acting on information stormed a mosque located on Inike Street in Okene to dislodge the sect members.

 Reports said that some soldiers also sustained serious wounds and had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja for treatment.

 NAN learnt that soldiers decided to act after obtaining information that the fundamentalists were using the mosque to hide guns and other sophisticated weapons.

 The soldiers were said to have obtained useful information from two members of the sect, who were arrested during a gun attack at the Lokoja office of the State Security Service on Sept. 25.

 As at the time of this report, Inike Street was said to be calm with residents refusing to come out of their houses because of fear.

 The Public Relations Officer of the Kogi State Police Command, Mr William Aya, said the operation was ``a pure military affair’’.

 He gave no further details on the incident.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Commander of the Nigerian Army Records Command in Lokoja proved abortive. (NAN)