…Boko Haram kidnaps 3 in Yobe
Rose Ejembi, Makurdi; Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that it has lost nine of its men since the beginning of its operation to end the herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in Benue and Nasarawa states.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Joshak Habila, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday at the Benue State Police Command headquarters, disclosed further that 17 suspects were arrested in connection with the January 31, 2018, Gboko mayhem and the murder of policemen in the two states.
Meanwhile, the Yobe State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of three men by Boko Haram after an attack on a public school in Yobe on Monday night.
Habila stated that no policeman was missing any longer as everyone deployed to the troubled areas returned, either dead or alive, adding that with the coming of the military into the state, it was expected that those who were internally displaced by the crises would soon return to their homes.
He noted that, following the security challenges in the state, the IGP, who was asked to relocate to Benue to ensure security threats were put under check, had been doing everything in his power to ensure that security of life and property was restored in the state.
“As we speak, the IGP deployed 15 units of police mobile force, special forces, who were trained in special ways outside the country, the intelligence platform and monitoring units of the IGP were deployed in the state.
“You are aware that people resorted to setting houses ablaze and destroying communities and foodstuff. Police deployed its men in communities under threat. We decided to plant men in communities and to respond to distress calls. Some mobile police officers ran into ambush and counter-ambush but, rather than discourage us, we summoned courage and those who have been linked with the gruesome murder of these policemen have been rounded up,” he said.
Habila, who noted that the list of suspects arrested was swelling by the day, revealed further that those who perpetrated the crimes had confessed, adding that, in no distant time, those who were yet to be caught would be brought to book.
The Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Sumonu Abdulmaliki, told journalists that the insurgents abducted three men in Geidam Local Government Area after fleeing from a secondary school at Dapchi, Bursari Local Government Area, in the state.
“They ran out of food and carted way foodstuff from the school,” the CP said. He denied the kidnap of any student at the school.
He said the insurgents carted away foodstuff and gallons of petrol belonging to fuel hawkers (black marketers) as they drove away from Dapchi on Monday night.