Benue State Police Command have arrested 42 armed herdsmen and bandits in the last one month in connection with the killings and other acts of criminality in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police,Ifeanyi Emenari, who disclosed this to newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday evening, said most of the suspects have been charged to court.
He disclosed that about 20 armed herdsmen have been remanded and were awaiting trials, while others were being investigated.
Enemari said that after they went round most Local Government Areas, (LGAs) of the state, they discovered that people have abandoned their farmlands for fear of being killed by bandits.
He said consequently, the command has taken the fight to those responsible for the attacks and killings in Benue communities,assuring that, “our tactical teams are already combing the bushes.
“I understand what task we have to do, to ensure that farmers go back to their farmlands and residents go back to their ancestral lands and everyone in the state sleep with their eyes closed.
“In the bushes of Apa, Gwer West, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Ukum, Agatu, Guma LGAs and several others we have our tactical teams who are combing the communities.
“We have a mandate to ensure that these communities are safe for the people to go back to their homes and engage in farming activities.
“In the last one month, we have arrested 42 armed herdsmen and local bandits from these communities. Most of them have been charged to court.
“We also have about 10 herdsmen who have been remanded by the courts in the course of their trial.
“Apart from those already charged to court, there are others who are still being investigated and they would be charged to court at the end of investigations.”
The Police Commissioner stated that the command also recovered two AK47 rifles and 21 locally made fire arms from the suspects.
He assured that the Command had taken the fight to cult gangs in the state, “that is why we have not witnessed or recorded cult related attacks in the state in the last one month since I assumed office.”
He promised to restore peace and security in the state, urging the people in the rural communities and urban centres to cooperate with the police in their task of ensuring the security of lives and property in the state.
He also commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for being supportive of the Command, assuring that his desire to ensure peace and security in the state would be achieved.