Police arrest 300 suspects as gunmen attack villagers

In spite of Benue State Police Command's arrest of over 300 suspected criminals within three weeks, unknown gunmen Sunday attacked two villages in Ukum Local Government Area of the state, killing unspecified number of persons and razing several houses.

Addressing journalists on the security situation in the state, Commissioner of Police Adams Audu, said the suspects were arrested during and after the Sallah holiday, explaining that investigation has started on the invasion of some villages in Ukum Local Government.

Audu also disclosed that the new operational strategy, known as Operation Secure Benue State has started paying off, with the arrest of 37 suspected cultists at the Katungu area of Makurdi, noting further that rival cult clashes at Ikeja Street, Makurdi, left Lawrence Omanchi, Abubakar Jafaru and one other person dead.

According to him, after the Ikeja Street incident, police swung into action and arrested 18 persons who were thoroughly investigated and charged to court for the offences of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

He said in Gbajimba town in Guma Local Government Area, police operatives August 10 averted what would have been a disaster when they arrested 24 persons involved on a free-for-all fight with dangerous weapons between rival groups from Jukun, Kabawa and Hausa tribes.

Audu said the fight left the duo of Umaru Mouta and Musa Driver dead, while the 24 suspects were charged to court after investigation.

Nine cultists, he said, were arrested at Aliade, headquarters of Gwer Local Government when rival cult groups were seen on August 12 fighting and stabbing themselves with machetes and other dangerous weapons  at about 10.30 am.

The police commissioner said the two occupants in the bus were wearing blood stained clothes and added that the seats of the vehicle and the floor were also stained. He said on interrogation, the two occupants claimed that their brother Emmanuel John, aged 22 had an accident which made them to take him to the General Hospital, Northbank for treatment.

Audu said on reaching the hospital, the police saw the dead body of the said Emmanuel John with machete cuts. He revealed that the duo of Chobuzo Ani and Chukwununso Agbuke were arrested and that they confessed that the deceased was a red skin cult member and that he was killed by rival cultists.

The police boss further stated that on August 24, the police arrested a man, Amodu Yau of Kakuri, Kaduna, who later changed his name to Amodu Halilu with suspected improvised explosive device in a white Golf 3 car with registration number Kano-AT 441 FGE with a driver and three other men in the car.

He said as the police discovered the object suspected to be improvised explosive material under the as passengers seat, the occupants took to their heels but one of them was arrested after a hot chase. He said the case was being transferred to the force headquarters in Abuja.

He said at Tyoati village in Konshisha local government area, a group of persons identified as Avakaa Mtegher, Tyolumun, Msughive Gwavna, Cletus Nyinongu and Emmanuel Hwakar came to the house of Amodu Usman and attacked the household with arms and other dangerous weapons, killing six cows valued at N530,000 and later set their houses ablaze with some persons.

While disclosing that some dead bodies were recovered in the course of police investigation, Audu said the suspects have been charged to court.

At the time of filing this report, it was gathered that residents of Agbena and Agbaaye in Ukum local government had deserted the two villages that were ransacked and set ablaze by unknown gunmen last Sunday.