There is palpable fear in Makurdi, the Benue State capital over increase in clashes by rival cult groups and kidnapping in the state and its environs.
Fortnight ago 30 suspects were arrested in Gboko town in connection with a bloody rival cult clash that claimed three lives and left several others injured in Gboko Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.
Also, following a rival cult clash by some youths, which has also forced the residents to flee their homes for fear of being caught in an exchange of gunfire in April 2022, five houses were razed at Adeke community, Mobile Barracks area in the outskirts of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Findings show that the crisis started when some youths attacked a young man suspected to be a member of a rival cult group around the Adem community near Adeke community.
Following the incessant unrest, the State Police Command has declared war against cultism and kidnapping in the state leading to the arrest of over 30 suspected cultists who are chilling in police custody.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police Wale Abass who disclosed this in an interview said he will not in any way watch criminals take over the State warning all intending criminals that it will not be business as usual.
Some of the suspected cultists were arrested in connection with the killing of three persons during a clash by rival cult gangs in Gboko while others were arrested in Makurdi local government areas of Benue State.
The Police Public Relations Officer Cathrine Anene who confirmed the killing and arrest explained that the suspects arrested in connection with the killing are being conveyed to the State Police headquarters in Makurdi for further investigation.
Our correspondent gathered from an eyewitness in Gboko that the cultists who were on a rampage killed young men in Gboko south and butchered them into pieces and were pursued by an angry mob who overpowered them and butchered three of them bringing the number of killings to five.
Our correspondent also gathered that the five persons were killed in a two-day bloody supremacy fight between rival cult gangs in parts of Gboko town, Gboko local government area of Benue state.
The clash, according to an eye witness, which left some persons with varying degrees of injuries also created pandemonium in the Tiv ancient town.
In a quick reaction, the Gboko local government council Chairman, Mr. Issac Mtom in collaboration with security agencies brought the situation under control.
A source in Gboko who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the fight between the gang was triggered by a misunderstanding between members of the cult groups who took up arms against each other.
The Chairman also appealed for calm and vigilance in the town assuring that security agencies were on top of the situation.
Mtom in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Bright Antyo said, “the Chairman of Gboko Local Government Council has called on all residents of Gboko to remain calm and vigilant.”
He reiterated his zero tolerance for any form of violence or activities capable of causing chaos and destabilizing the peace and security of Gboko LGA. He called on youths to shun cultism as anyone caught will be made to face the law.
“The chairman assured that security personnel have been briefed to flush out the perpetrators and other dreaded cultists. He urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies, and offer relevant information that will lead to the apprehension of the murderers.”
In another development, a three-man gang robber/cultists terrorizing members of the public within Wurukum, NorthBank, and Modern Market areas in Makurdi metropolis were also nabbed by the Police.
The state PPRO said the command got an intelligence report on a 3-man gang of armed robbers/cultists terrorizing unsuspecting members of Benue and ordered their trail and arrest.
The PPRO said “Fortunately, on 26/8/2022 at about 1600hrs, the said suspects; Fanen Wever, Philip Adanyi aka Baron and Albert Akor aka J-Boy all male of no fixed address were arrested at their hideout, within Logo 1 Wurukum, Makurdi”
Items recovered from the suspects include one locally made pistol loaded with three rounds of live ammunition, wraps of weed, suspected to be Indian hemp, assorted illicit drugs, and charms.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Abass also disclosed that the suspects confessed to the crimes and will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.
Our correspondent report that apart from cultism, kidnapping is another criminal activity that has been booming in the State and recently 18 suspected kidnappers who were trying to bypass the Police checkpoint at Utonkon in the Ado local government area of Benue State were arrested
It was gathered from the locals that the feat was achieved with the help of the State Community Volunteer Guards who arrested the kidnappers and handed them over to the Police.
The Police Public Relations Officer Cathrine Anene who disclosed this to newsmen in Makurdi said, “On 21/08/2022 at about 0730hrs information was received about suspected kidnappers who were trying to bypass police checkpoints at Utonkon road, Ado local government area.
“Police officers deployed to the area in collaboration with members of the community were able to intercept and arrest eighteen suspects all male of Ikpayongo, Gwer local government area.
According to her, “Items recovered from the suspects include; one AK-47 rifle and two magazines loaded with 30 rounds of 6.72mm live ammunition.”
The PPRO informed that all the suspects are male from Ikpayongo, Gwer local government area of Benue State, even as she said that further Investigation for more details is ongoing.
In another development, the Command, arrested and paraded two members of a kidnapping syndicate specialized in kidnapping women in Makurdi and its environs.
This is even as the state government alongside security personnel after the arrest raided and demolished the suspected resident where the kidnappers keep their victims to demand ransom.
The State commissioner of Police CP Abass who disclosed this while briefing the media said the suspects were arrested by men of the Benue joint Security Taskforce (JTF) code name Operation Zenda after a failed attempt to kidnap their target victim.
According to Abass, the suspects had earlier carried out three operations and succeeded in two which they collected over two Million, while the last operation that led to their arrest failed
He said, “Our personnel started trailing them since last year, and during the last operation which failed luck ran out of them and our men trailed them, and in the process of running to escape one of their phones fell and that was what helped us to trap them.”
The special adviser to Gov Samuel Ortom on Security, Lt Col. Paul Hembah (Rtd) informed that the kidnappers were arrested on Augurs 9, 2022 in their Makurdi hideout.
Lt Col. Hemba disclosed that the kidnappers’ gang was a four-man squad and they specialised in kidnapping women, adding that the kingpin of the gang and one other member were on the run.
“There is a law in place in the state which clearly states that any building that is used as a kidnappers den should be demolished and we are going to demolish their den which is situated on Makurdi- Aliade road, the State has zero tolerance for kidnapping.”
Earlier, the husband of one of their rescued victims Alhaji Ibrahim Anor who commended the operation Zenda through their commander SP Justin Gberindyer for their dogged fight which led to the rescue of his wife informed that his wife was kidnapped in November 2021 in his house and was rescued after 10 days in kidnappers den “after I paid N3 million.”
The second in command of the gang, Mr Solomon Iorver who said that he was 25 years old disclosed that they collected a ransom of N500,000 from the family of their first victim while the family of their second victim paid them N1 million.
According to him, he was into kidnapping to make ends meet hence he has no means of livelihood.
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