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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command said they have arrested 17 suspects in connection with a mob attack that left a police officers severely injured with another other in a state of coma.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu disclosed this on Friday while briefing newsmen on the operational breakthrough of the command.
Parading the suspects before newsmen at the command headquarters in Makurdi on Friday, Nwadiogbu said the suspects were arrested following an investigation into a mob attack which occured on 30th August 2026, at Adagi, along the Jato-Aka-Adikpo Road in Kwande LGA of the state.
He explained the the incident occurred following a fatal motor accident during which the mob attacked passengers of the accidented car among who were police officers.
Narrating the incident, Nwadiogbu said “On the 30th August 2026, a vehicle traveling from Taraba State had an accident at that axis and knocked down a young boy.
According to him, “The persons in the vehicle, some of them were policemen and being policemen, they felt the best thing for them to do was to pick the victim and start rushing to the hospital.
“Unknown to them that it would end up resulting to mob attack, they wanted to be good citizens but instead of appreciating the passengers in the vehicle for their efforts to lift the victim to the hospital, community members descended on them.
“Everybody came out with machetes and whatever weapon they could lay their hands on.
“The DPO of Kwande and DPO Jato-Aka ran to rescue them to a nearby police station and the whole community besieged the station and started attacking the officers.
“A senior police officer in the vehicle sustained serious injuries during the attack. He was attacked with machete until he passed out and they concluded he was dead. He is currently hospitalized and in a coma. He is receiving medical attention and we remain hopeful for his recovery.
“The DPO of Kwande who came with a team to rescue the accident victims was also given machete cut all over his body.”
He condemned the resort to mob action, warning members of the public against taking the law into their own hands.
He said “I don’t think I will sit here and watch people live such lawless life. The law have provided solutions to every situation. Mob action is condemnable.
“No body should take laws into his or her hands, nobody in a reasonable society is encouraged to do that. That was why we said we cannot let this be and by the grace of God, 17 of them have been picked. I won’t let them go. When we finish screening and the necessary investigation, I will charge them to court.
“Good a thing, the boy they thought has died is still alive but still in coma. He was moved from Makurdi to Anambra State on oxygen and is currently on life support machine.
“We are praying for him to be alive because if anything happens to him, it would not be attempted murder or culpable homicide again. They would go in for it. I encourage them to also pray that he survives.”
Nwadiogbu insisted that “We are not an animal kingdom. We are in a state established by law, with every paraphernalia of law. People should not take laws into their hands.”
The Commissioner urged residents who have grievances to report to the appropriate authorities rather than resorting to violence.
According to him, the suspects, alongside recovered exhibits, have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
