No fewer than 250 suspects were charged to court for various crimes in Benue State between April and December 2024.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State, Hassan Yabanet, stated this in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Monday.
Providing a breakdown, the police chief revealed that 273 suspects were arrested in connection with capital offenses, 20 firearms were recovered, and 51 rounds of ammunition were also recovered. He added that 250 suspects had been charged to court.
The CP, however, decried the high rate of cultism and the killing of elderly people over allegations of witchcraft in the state.
According to him:
“One of the major challenges bedeviling the state is the issue of cultism, which the command has been fighting relentlessly.
“While some suspects have been charged to court, we currently have seven suspected cultists in custody, arrested from North Bank, Daudu, and Otukpo areas.
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“They include Donald Aguma (m) of Daudu, Tyoshar Aondoaseer (m) of Daudu, Tsena Joseph (m) of Daudu, and Benjamin Andrew Augustine (m) of Otukpo. Garba Yusuf, also known as Totis, Ismail Dauda, and Abdulahi Danjuma (all male) of Wadata, Makurdi, were also arrested, and one locally fabricated pistol was recovered.”
He added, “Another worrisome situation in the state is the growing trend of people taking the law into their own hands, particularly young people killing the elderly over allegations of witchcraft.
“For instance, an aged woman was killed on Christmas Day over allegations of witchcraft in Egba village, Agatu Local Government Area of the state.”
He explained, “On 24/12/2024, at about 1900 hrs, information was received that an elderly woman had been killed over an allegation of witchcraft in Egba village, Agatu LGA. During the investigation, two suspects, Bako Above (m), 50 years old, and Oyaje Clement (m), 40 years old, were arrested in connection with the case.”
The CP commended the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, for his support and the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, for being a pillar of strength to the command.
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