By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
The Police in collaboration with local vigilante members, have arrested three suspects believed to be behind the recent attack on Anwule community in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State, where several people, including a pastor, were killed.
The suspects, identified as Isah Peter and Moses Peter – both natives of Agatu LGA – and a Fulani herdsman, were apprehended on Sunday after weeks of investigation.
Isah, 22, who reportedly serves as the acting commander of the Eguma community vigilante group, allegedly used a community owned firearm to carry out operations in Anwule.
After his arrest, Isah confessed that he acted on the instructions of a man known only as “Pepper,” who allegedly directed him to provide the weapon used in the attack.
He also admitted to orchestrating several recent kidnapping incidents along the Otukpo–Adoka–Oweto road.
Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin James, confirmed on Monday that he read about the arrest of the trio on social media while acknowledging that two of the suspects were indigenes of his locality.
James wondered why the suspects could collude with armed bandits to kill their own people, including members of their the community they too hails from even as he urged the security forces to investigate them properly in other to fish out their collaborators.
“I can confirm that two persons (of the three suspects) are from Eguma and Igila communities in Agatu. However I make bold to state that no communities in Agatu has weapons. Agatu depends on the security provided by soldiers and police. No Community in Agatu sent them. It goes to confirms my position that there are bad eggs. The Police should thoroughly investigate them because they must have accomplices. That’s my position,” the Agatu chairman said.
Chairman of Ohimini LGA, Adole Gabriel, also confirmed the arrests on Monday, saying that all the arrests were made by local vigilante groups.
Adole added that in the past 24 hours, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) has also made additional arrests of suspects terrorising his area.
“Altogether, four separate arrests have been made in the past 24 hours. The suspects have been taken into police custody in Makurdi,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, had not responded to calls and messages sent to her phone for confirmation of the arrests as of press time.
