It was a harvest of arrests in the last few days across Benue State, following the declaration of renewed onslaught against all forms of crimes and criminality.
The onslaught by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Hyacinth Dagala and his officers and men led to the arrest of about 32 prime suspects over various crimes in some parts of the state. The suspects included Terrungwa Gbermke, alias Vision 2020, the suspected killer of a member of the Task Force on Cattle Rustling and Kidnapping at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Baba Ibrahim.
The suspects
How they were arrested
Gbermke and his gang were among the suspects paraded a few days ago by the State Commissioner of Police at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi, the state capital. Also recovered from the gang were a red Toyota Carina car used in the operation that led to the death of the senior police officer, and over 20 assorted firearms and ammunition.
Parading the suspects, Dagala said,”amidst the grief of the killing of ASP Baba Ibrahim, crack detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Makurdi swung into action, traced the hoodlums to their hideout along Abaji-Amafu Road in Katsina-Ala and arrested four of them. They included Terungwa Gbermke aka Vision 2020, Sarwuam Kyuun, Aondover Laav, and James Akuleagwu. Items recovered from them included one G3 rifle with four rounds of live ammunition, one red Toyota Carina 11 vehicle with registration number XD 811 Makurdi, one unregistered Honda C50 Motorcycle, one power saw machine, a black face cap and charms. Another gang of two dressed in army uniforms were also arrested by the Command for allegedly robbing passengers in a Marcopolo luxurious bus at Aliade, Gwer Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.”
Their exploits
The Commissioner disclosed that after robbing the passengers, the suspects also set the bus ablaze. He stated that the incident was reported a few days ago at the Police in Aliade by the driver of the ill-fated vehicle, one Damian Ofochebe.
“He (Ofochebe) reported to the Police that he was conveying passengers in a Marcopolo luxurious bus with registration number AWK 992 W belonging to G.U.O. Group, Onitsha. According to him, on reaching Howe village in Gwer LGA of Benue State, a gang of armed men who disguised themselves in army uniforms attacked them by barricading the road with logs of wood. The armed men, at gunpoint, robbed him and his passengers of their money and other valuables, and thereafter set the bus ablaze.”
The Police boss continued: “During Police investigations, the two suspects (names withheld), all of Mbayiasi Ulam Gwer, were arrested in connection with the crime. Items recovered from them included one locally-made gun, six rounds of live ammunition, one iron pipe, one sharp knife, one trigger guard and a cap.”
More arrests
Also paraded were two gangs of ten suspected criminals (names withheld) who were nabbed in Otukpo while allegedly planning to attack some residential areas in the city. Items recovered from the group included two locally-made single and double barrel pistols with three live and one expended cartridges, one locally-made cut-to-size, two AK 47 riffles with eight live ammunition, one battle axe and a blood-stained knife. He further stated that two members of a gang of three (names withheld) that specialize in robbing unsuspecting victims in the North Bank area of Makurdi town on motorbikes were also arrested. Weapons recovered from them included one locally-made revolver and five live ammunition.
The command also recorded the same feat in Vandeikya L.G.A., where a young man allegedly robbed a woman and her daughter (name withheld) with a locally-made pistol in broad-day light. He was arrested and the weapons recovered from him.
Similarly, two members of a notorious gang at Yegh village, Uvii council ward in Guma L.G.A., who invaded the Yegh Market with AK 47 and assault riffle, shooting sporadically, were arrested by the Police. Police said during the process of shooting, one Nyitamen Adorogo was shot to death. During Police investigations, the two suspects were arrested and one AK 47 riffle with 10 rounds of live ammunition was recovered from the suspects.
According to the Police boss, the onslaught on crimes in the state also led to the arrest of a gang of five suspected cultists in Jato Aka, who allegedly beat their victim to death in an attempt to initiate him into a cult. “They inflicted serious injuries on their victim with the use of battle axe, machete and knife in an attempt to initiate him into their cult.”
Police reassure on crime
The Police Commissioner maintained that the renewed onslaught would be sustained until those behind the spate of crimes in the state were nabbed and made to face justice so as to serve as a deterrent to others.
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