Four people have been detained by the Benue State Police Command on suspicion of participating in kidnapping and banditry operations in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sewuese Anene, released a statement on Tuesday that details this information and made it available to Makurdi-based journalists.
He claimed that Operation Zenda JTF’s banditry-related arrests of Ordoonku Kusuv, Msughter Tayough, and Liambee Adeadegh—also known as Don-Konyo—took place in the Sankera axis of the State.
Officers of the Operation Zenda JTF pursued and apprehended some members of a treacherous syndicate led by one Anyogor Mnguor and Terhemen Mzaga, also known as Fullfire, as part of the follow-up on the crackdown on bandits and their activities in the Sankera axis of Benue state.
“This gang’s members were experts at abducting, attacking, and killing members of the public. The most recent was the horrific killing of innocent people in the Akpuna community, located in the Ukum local government area, on July 21.
During the arrest, she claimed, the police found nine live rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition.
She added that a man named Sonter Tyozughul was also detained in relation to the July 23 kidnapping of Dr. Asema Msuega, a resident physician at General Hospital Ukum who had since been released.
Additionally, she said that the suspect had admitted to taking part in the crime directly.
She claimed that Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders had been ordered to crack down on the illegal manufacture, sales, possession, and use of proscribed firearms in the state.
“Individuals involved in unlawful possession of arms and light weapons are hereby warned to submit such illegally possessed weapons to the police at the nearest police station. This voluntary act does not attract any penalty.
“Members of the public are hereby urged to report all suspicious firearms-related activities to their local police stations.
“This process is part of efforts to fight firearm-related offences and create an environment suitable for peaceful coexistence,” she stated
