Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command, on Thursday, says it has arrested 65 suspects for various offenses in the state in the last two weeks.
The arrested suspects, according to the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, included four suspected armed robbers, four suspected kidnappers and 13 suspected cultists as well as 44 suspects in connection with the Konshisha communal clash.
He noted that of the four suspected armed robbers, two died in the course of exchange of gunfire with the Police disclosing further that all the suspects had been arrange in court while different items were recovered from the suspected criminals.
Owoseni listed items recovered from the suspects to include four riffles made up of three AK-47 and one G-3 riffles, three AK-47 magazines with 16 rounds of live ammunition, one Dane gun, nine sets of Army camouflage uniforms and three Toyota cars.
Owoseni explained further that 44 suspected were also arrested in connection with the communal clash between Mbamar and Ugambe communities of Konshisha local government area of the state.
While disclosing that the combined efforts of security agencies averted another crisis in the area on Wednesday, the police Commissioner added that the police is on the trail of a former council Chairman of Konshisha, Hon. Vitalis Ayomar who was fingered as one of those sponsoring the mayhem in the area.
“The actors are still recruiting more militia and the crisis has been linked with a former council chairman in the area, one Hon.Vitalis Ayomar. He is advised to report himself to the police but not declared wanted yet. He knows the police is looking for him, so he had been switching off his phone and moving from his houses in Makurdi, Aliade and Konshisha.”
While assuring the Benue people of a peaceful Eid-Fitr celebration, the Police Commissioner said adequate security measures which include increased Police visibility and Joint Motorized Patrols with sister security agencies as well as covert operations have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free celebration.