By: Titus Akor, Makurdi.
The Benue State Police Command has paraded 7 Suspects connected to different criminal Offences across the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu performed the parade on Friday shortly after briefing Journalists at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi.
He disclosed that the Benue State Police Command under his watch has recorded major operational successes in the last two weeks, including the arrest of a suspected gun runner with 115 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, the dismantling of two illegal firearm manufacturing factories, and the neutralisation of two suspected bandits in Otukpo.
He further revealed that on July 28, operatives of Guma Division intercepted two persons on a motorcycle during a stop-and-search operation, stressing that during the incident one suspect fled into the bush, while the other, identified as Joro Jakata, 20, from Awe, Nasarawa State, was arrested.
According to CP Nwadiogbu a search conducted on him led to the recovery of one hundred and fifteen (115) rounds of live 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition while his motorcycle was impounded, pointing out that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice.
CP Nwadiogbu also disclosed that in an intelligence-led operation on July 29,at about 0120hrs, the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU, raided two illegal firearm manufacturing factories in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area, revealed that at the first location, one suspect was arrested and two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, together with firearm manufacturing tools and accessories, were recovered.
He further revealed that at the second location, another suspect was arrested and five locally fabricated English pistols were recovered, adding that the suspects will be charged to court after investigation.
The Benue State Police Commissioner condemned the attack on Efeyi Ugboju Community in Otukpo LGA on July 28, at about 0500hrs, where suspected bandits rustled about 20 cattle and killed 13 persons while fleeing, explaining that upon receiving the report, he personally visited the community for an on-the-spot assessment and directed an immediate tactical operation to trail the perpetrators.
According to him, during the operation, Security operatives were ambushed but responded with gunfire, neutralising two suspected bandits, stressing that during the operation one AK-47 rifle and 15 rounds of live ammunition were recovered while investigation is ongoing to arrest other perpetrators and recover rustled cattles.
The CP also announced the arrest of six members of a notorious armed gang operating in Buruku local government area of the State.
He disclosed that while acting on intelligence on July 13, operatives of Operation Zenda Crack Squad arrested Ephraim Tertseagh Yough, 35, who led personnel to the gang’s hideout in Kusuv on July 16, pointing out that one K2 rifle and one cutlass were recovered while preliminary investigation indicates that the gang is linked to several cases of armed robbery and the murder of a trader in Buruku in December 2025.
The CP made public other breakthroughs to include, the arrest of one Mohamed Bilyaminu of Plateau State in Okpokwu local government area of the State on July 20 for alleged involvement in cattle rustling and the death of one Benjamin Paul, disclosing that two others, Umar Sani and Godwin Okaa, were arrested in Guma on July 22 with one dead cow.
According to him, Nancy Sunday arrested in Gwer East for allegedly smashing her co-wife’s one-month-old baby to death with Two suspects arrested over the stabbing to death of Igbadoo Faga, 28, also in Gwer East.
The CP further disclosed that in Kwande, one Vangir Bam was arrested after a farm attack that led to the death of Bemgba Nande while Mary Torkuma and Evergreen Samuel arrested in Makurdi for staging a kidnap to extort ransom from the victim’s mother were also paraded during the briefing.
Nwadiogbu disclosed that one Joy Atim was arrested in Mopa, Kogi State, for alleged criminal conspiracy and advance fee fraud, added that at another operation in Ohimini, one double-barrel gun, three cartridges and a knife were recovered while two suspects were arrested over alleged sale of a two-year-old child in Makurdi the Benue state capital.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu and the Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia for prompt support of logistics that made the breakthrough successful and assured that the Command would always redouble its efforts by discharging its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property of Citizens, and called for stronger collaboration with the Youths of Communities and the Media to ensure safe environment for Benue communities as crime fighting is a shared responsibility.
