53 suspects arrested over Benue, Plateau massacre - Newstrends
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53 suspects arrested over Benue, Plateau massacre

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53 suspects arrested over Benue, Plateau massacre

53 suspects arrested over Benue, Plateau massacre

Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of 53 suspects in connection with the deadly attacks in Benue and Plateau States.

He said the attacks occurred between June 13 and June 23, 2025.

Egbetokun disclosed during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, less than a week after President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of killer herders responsible for the massacre, which occurred in Benue and Plateau states.

The IGP clarified that contrary to earlier reports of hundreds of fatalities, police investigations confirmed that 47 persons were killed, 27 sustained injuries, and hundreds were displaced, though not dead.

“As you will all recall, on June 13, 2025, armed militias invaded Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, killing and maiming any soul on sight,” Egbetokun said.

He described the incident as a coordinated and terror-fueled attack, marked by the burning of houses, destruction of property, and displacement of residents.

According to him, security agencies promptly deployed tactical teams, Special Forces, and Intelligence Response Teams (IRT) to restore calm and pursue the perpetrators.

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“I am pleased to inform you today that 26 persons directly connected to this crime have so far been arrested and their weapons recovered,” he added.

He explained that on June 19, detectives apprehended the masterminds of the attack from their hideout.

The following day, seven other suspects were tracked and arrested across various locations.

On June 21, police arrested a key suspect who allegedly hosted the initial planning meeting.

The breakthrough came on June 22 with the arrest of 18 more suspects directly involved in the killings.

He said, “Further investigations on June 23 led to the recovery of two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and eight AK-47 rifles believed to have been used in the assault.

“All 26 suspects are currently in police custody and, according to Egbetokun, have voluntarily confessed to their individual and collective roles in the killings. The police have concluded preparations for their arraignment in court”.

In a related development, the IGP also confirmed an incident in Mangu, Plateau State, on June 22, where a mob attacked a bus transporting passengers from Zaria.

The attack resulted in the murder of nine passengers, with three others injured. Police operatives intervened and rescued 22 surviving victims.

“So far, 22 suspects have also been arrested in connection with this gruesome act of mob violence.

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“They too will face the full wrath of the law in court,” the IGP stated.

Egbetokun also addressed the June 23 killing of two individuals travelling in a truck at Agan Area, North Bank, Makurdi, Benue State.

He said, “Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and will also be prosecuted”.

He condemned the surge in reprisal killings and mob justice, describing such actions as unlawful and dangerous to societal peace.

“Let me use this opportunity to issue a stern warning: Jungle justice, mob action, and taking the laws into your own hands have no place in a civilised society,” Egbetokun said.

He emphasised that every Nigerian is entitled to life and a fair trial, and warned individuals or groups against inciting or executing retaliatory violence.

“The recent trend of reprisal killings—where innocent citizens are murdered in retaliation for crimes committed by others is barbaric, senseless, and dangerous. It does not bring justice.

“It only fuels further hatred, inflames tension, and perpetuates the cycle of violence,” he added.

Reaffirming his commitment to law enforcement, the IGP pledged that all perpetrators of violence would be pursued and brought to justice.

He added, “We will go after anyone–planner or executor–who attacks any community in Nigeria. We will leave no stone unturned until every single individual responsible for the killing of innocent Nigerians is arrested and brought to justice.

“Let the world know that Nigeria will not bow to terror. Our people will not be silenced by fear. We are not retreating. We are advancing. And we will not stop until every Nigerian can sleep with both eyes closed.”

53 suspects arrested over Benue, Plateau massacre

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Kaduna APC Calls for Probe Into Alleged Attacks, Vandalism

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Osun 2026: APC Inaugurates 292-Member Campaign Council, Declares Victory a Must
Kaduna APC Calls for Probe Into Alleged Attacks, Vandalism

The Kaduna State chapter of the APC has appealed for calm after reporting alleged attacks, vandalism and intimidation involving its members and party-related facilities.

The party wants the police and other security agencies to determine what happened and identify those responsible for any offences established by the evidence.

APC Publicity Secretary Sani Dan Azare said vehicles were allegedly damaged during an incident at party premises, while some members and supporters were reportedly assaulted or intimidated elsewhere in the state.

Rather than draw conclusions from the competing claims, the party asked security agencies to examine all credible leads and evidence before taking action.

The appeal comes as political activities intensify in Kaduna ahead of the 2027 elections. The state has already recorded a separate dispute involving ADC supporters and security operatives during a campaign-related walk, with the parties giving different accounts of the confrontation.

The APC said such incidents should not undermine what it described as progress made in reducing political, ethnic and religious tensions in the state.

It therefore urged political parties, candidates and supporters to conduct their activities peacefully and within the law.

Dan Azare also asked APC members and support groups to avoid retaliation, warning against any form of self-help.

Let the facts be established. Let due process prevail. Let the law take its course” the party said.

The APC added that anyone with relevant information should make it available to security agencies to help establish what happened and determine whether anyone should face legal action.

 

Kaduna APC Calls for Probe Into Alleged Attacks, Vandalism

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Fatal NURTW Leadership Clash in Osun Leaves Two Dead; State Orders Park Shut Down

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Fatal NURTW Leadership Clash in Osun Leaves Two Dead; State Orders Park Shut Down

As Olalekan Oyeyemi is buried in Osogbo, authorities transfer murder probe to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

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Lagos Power Outage: Ikeja Electric Blames TCN as Businesses, Homes Groan

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Lagos Power Outage: Ikeja Electric Blames TCN as Businesses, Homes Groan

Lagos Power Outage: Ikeja Electric Blames TCN as Businesses, Homes Groan

Residents and businesses in several parts of Lagos are enduring prolonged power outages, with Ikeja Electric attributing the disruption to significant constraints on the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) network.

The development has triggered frustration among electricity consumers who say the prolonged blackout is disrupting household activities and commercial operations, while increasing their dependence on generators and other alternative sources of power.

Ikeja Electric, one of Nigeria’s largest electricity distribution companies, said the situation was caused by a reduction in the amount of electricity available to it from the transmission network.

According to the company, the transmission constraints have affected the volume of power it can distribute to customers across parts of its franchise area, resulting in extended periods of load-shedding.

The company said it was engaging with TCN over the situation and was working to improve supply to affected communities as soon as additional transmission capacity becomes available.

The latest disruption has affected customers in several parts of Lagos, with residents in areas including Akoka, Egbeda, Ojodu Berger, Ogudu and Shomolu reporting prolonged interruptions.

Some residents said electricity supply had been unavailable for several consecutive days, while others reported intermittent restoration followed by further outages.

The disruption has also affected small businesses and households that rely heavily on electricity for daily activities.

Business operators such as barbers, hairdressers, food vendors, cold-room operators, charging-centre owners, internet-dependent businesses and other small enterprises have been particularly affected by the unreliable supply.

For many households, prolonged outages have also affected refrigeration, water pumping, phone charging, internet access and other basic activities that depend on electricity.

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The situation has forced some residents and businesses to increase their use of generators, adding to operating costs at a time when fuel and other energy expenses remain high.

Some consumers have also resorted to commercial charging centres and other paid alternatives to keep phones, rechargeable devices and business equipment operational.

The latest disruption comes amid continuing challenges across Nigeria’s electricity value chain, where problems involving generation, gas supply, transmission infrastructure and distribution networks can affect electricity availability to consumers.

TCN operates the country’s transmission network, while electricity distribution companies such as Ikeja Electric are responsible for delivering available power to customers through their distribution networks.

This distinction is significant in the latest Lagos outage because Ikeja Electric has attributed the immediate supply shortfall to constraints on the transmission network, rather than announcing a fault affecting its entire distribution system.

Power interruptions in Lagos, however, have previously resulted from different causes.

Parts of the state have experienced outages linked to distribution equipment faults, infrastructure damage, planned maintenance and other incidents affecting electricity infrastructure.

Earlier disruptions in Lagos have also been associated with incidents such as tanker fires damaging electricity infrastructure, while transmission maintenance and constraints have caused supply reductions in other instances.

The varying causes mean that the duration and geographical spread of an outage can differ significantly from one community or electricity feeder to another.

Ikeja Electric has apologised to affected customers over the latest disruption and said it understands the difficulties caused by the reduced supply.

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The company said it was monitoring developments and engaging relevant stakeholders in an effort to restore improved electricity supply.

The latest development has again highlighted concerns over the vulnerability of Lagos residents and businesses to fluctuations in electricity supply.

For many small businesses, prolonged blackouts mean additional spending on diesel or petrol-powered generators, while households face similar costs when alternative electricity sources are required.

The disruption also comes at a time when businesses are already dealing with high operating costs, making extended reliance on generators an additional financial burden.

Consumers have increasingly called for more reliable electricity supply and better coordination among the different operators in Nigeria’s power sector.

The TCN, generation companies and distribution companies form interconnected parts of the electricity supply chain, meaning a constraint at one stage can quickly affect consumers downstream.

For Ikeja Electric customers, the immediate expectation is that transmission constraints will ease and supply will gradually improve across the affected feeders.

Until then, residents and businesses in the affected areas may continue to experience irregular electricity supply depending on available transmission capacity and the operational condition of individual distribution feeders.

The latest outage has therefore renewed the debate over Nigeria’s long-standing electricity challenges and the need for sustained investment in power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to provide more stable electricity for homes and businesses.

For Lagos, where thousands of businesses depend on electricity for daily operations, prolonged outages carry consequences beyond inconvenience, affecting productivity, household welfare and the cost of doing business.

Ikeja Electric said it would continue to provide updates as the situation develops and work with TCN to improve supply to affected customers.

Lagos Power Outage: Ikeja Electric Blames TCN as Businesses, Homes Groan

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