26th June, 2012
At least 45 robbery suspects and cultists have been arrested by men of the Benue State Police Command.
In addition , the Police Command also recovered assorted fire arms, live ammunition, military camouflage uniform and charms from the suspects.
This was disclosed to P.M.NEWS in Makurdi by Mr Ejike Alaribe, deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Benue State, northcentral Nigeria.
He revealed that the suspected culprits were arrested mostly in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, and its environs.
Alaribe said the arrest of the suspects was in line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Katso, to all commands to beef up security and comb the nooks and crannies of the state to fish out those perpetrating criminality across the state.
He explained that the crackdown on criminals would be a continuous exercise, assuring that the police in the state would not relent until “those engaged in criminality in the state are all arrested.”
According to him, “the Commissioner of Police has given express directive to all officers at the various commands and he has warned that the renewed onslaught must be total and not compromised.”
He further disclosed that the Commissioner also ordered intensified vehicular patrols of the entire state by officers of the command, adding that officers have also been detailed to embark on foot and motorbike patrols.
Alaribe urged parents to keep a close tab on the type of friends their children and wards keep, stressing that “we discovered that so many innocent children and youths are lured into cultism and other forms of crimes by their bad and evil minded friends.”
According to him, all the arrested suspects would soon be charged to court.
—Ubong George/Makurdi