Benue police arrest 18 suspects following violent protests in Ukum
CP Yabanet moves to area with tactical teams to restore order
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Commissioner of Police, Benue state command, CP Hassan Yabanet, has disclosed that 18 suspects have been arrested so far over the violent protest and destruction of properties in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The Police Commissioner stated this in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday.
Recall that angry youths from Borikyo Ward in Ukum LGA took to the streets on Wednesday to register their grievances over the killing of their kinsmen by bandits Tuesday night. They in the process destroyed properties belonging to individuals and the government.
The Commissioner said, “On July 3, 2024, information was received from Ukum Police Division that suspected bandits had attacked a village in the Ayati community of Ukum LGA where six persons were killed.
Read also:Â Benue police dislodge banditsâ camp, kill 2, recover arms, motorcycles
“Police teams were immediately deployed to prevent further attacks.
“At about 0800hrs, violent protesters in hundreds began a protest obviously sponsored by criminals to unleash mayhem on the people and destabilise the security network that has prevented them from operating freely in the area, especially with recent successful operations that dislodged several bandit camps in the last two months.
“During this violent protest, personal and government properties were destroyed.
“These hoodlums also made an attempt to invade Ukum Police Division but were repelled by officers on guard duty.”
The statement said the Commissioner of Police has since moved to the area with tactical teams and heads of other security agents to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
It also said 18 suspects have been arrested and investigation is ongoing.
According to the statement, Ukum, which is a boundary area between Benue and Taraba state, has been a turbulent area in the state.
This turbulence, it observed, increased after the death of the dreaded popular militia kingpin known as Gana, adding that Ukum has attracted the highest deployment of security agents in the state.
The Commissioner said the deployment is made to curtail activities of bandits that are found in three LGAs of Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala collectively called the Sankera axis.
