Police in Benue arrest 30 suspects for armed robbery, cultism

The Benue State Police Command has arrested 30 suspects in connection with armed robbery and cultism with 13 different weapons across the state.

One of the suspects is an 18-year-old Aondoana Ator.

Ator, a JSS Two student of a secondary school from Ikpayongo community, in Benue, reportedly confessed that he operated with a military uniform he procured from an old friend with the sole aim of robbing with it.


Commissioner of Police in the state, Fatai Owoseni, in a chat with newsmen, on Tuesday, explained that two cases of armed robbery were recorded in the state during the Easter period out of which one of the victims was killed after he had been robbed.

According to Owoseni, “Among the 30 arrested were two suspects who were arrested as a follow up to the suspect who was operating with Nigerian Air Force (NAF) uniform. One of them is the one that supplies the military uniforms to them.”

He explained further that one of the suspected armed robbers who had been linked to several robbery operations along the Daudu-Yelwata axis was killed around Yelwata during an exchange of gunfire with the police during which a bag containing military uniforms was also recovered from him.

“The deceased suspects armed robbers and other robbery suspects have been linked to several robbery operations taking place along that axis.”

Owoseni also revealed that 23 human trafficking victims conveyed in a 16 seater bus was intercepted around Wurukum area of Makurdi.

“A team on routine patrol intercepted a vehicle in which 23 persons believed to be victims of trafficking in persons between the ages of 12 and 45 from Buruku Local Government area of Benue heading to Kiama in Kwara state.

“They were promised jobs but it was a ploy to transport them to Niger Republic. The suspect has since been interrogated and the vehicle has been impounded. The command will do everything possible to get the king pin of that human trafficking racket.”

But speaking with newsmen, the suspected human trafficker, Prince Masenengen Tar claimed he was taking the victims to work for him on his farm and his restaurant in Kiama Area of Kwara State.