Herdsmen Not Behind Benue Latest Attack – Military – Newstrends
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Herdsmen Not Behind Benue Latest Attack – Military

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Herdsmen were not behind the latest attack in Benue State, the Military High Command has said.

Our correspondent reports that 21 people were killed early hours of Tuesday in attacks on villagers in Guma, Logo and Tarka LGAs of Benue.

Three more dead bodies were recovered in Tyotugh in Tarka LGA where 15 of the corpses were earlier discovered, bringing the numbers of causalities to 24.

Chief of Defence, Training and Operations, Defence Headquarters, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, has however pledged the military’s commitment to find the perpetrators of the act.

He made the pledge when he paid an on the spot visit to scenes of the attacks.

“I’m here on the authority of the Chief of Defence Staff. He directed a team led by me to come here and find out what happened. I understand that 15 people or thereabout were killed in this community (Tyotugh). But as to who and who is responsible, to me, personally, is not herdsmen.

“I was pioneer Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke OPWS and I spent three years in this general area. And I know that what we have here is actually bandits attack but it will not be proper to pin it down to herdsmen. Because this area is a bit far from the normal grazing route of herdsmen. In fact, most of the herdsmen that we have in Benue usually operate at the boundary areas between Benue and Nasarawa states.

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“Tarka is far from the normal grazing route and I believe that herdsmen might not be responsible for this. But whichever group is responsible will be tracked down and neutralized. We will unmask which group did this, go after them That is why I’m here.

“All options are open. Our intelligence unit is working on it. But judging from my knowledge and working experience here, as I have said, I worked here for three good years and I can speak from experience. But like I said, our intelligence unit is working on it to unmask those who were responsible for the attack. And we will go after them decisively.

“To a large extent, we can say that there’s relative peace in Benue. Of course, there are still occasional attacks by bandits and all that but when you look at the overall security situation in Benue; one can say there’s relative peace in the state. However, there’s still need for improvement.”

“The instruction is clear; track them down and kill them. The President has made it clear that anybody found with weapons should be killed and that instruction has been passed to me and I have passed same to the operations commanders to unmask these people and bring them to swift justice,” he said.

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Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a fake Inspector who engages in armed robbery and car snatching, among other crimes. 

This was disclosed by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu while parading the suspect among other suspected criminals on Wednesday.

According to the Dosu, Monday Igbali, the fake inspector, was a former sergeant who was dismissed after being charged in a kidnapping case in 2021.

He noted that three fancy cars were recovered from Igbali, who runs a gang of five criminals.

Dosu states, “The command commenced an investigation in response to a report filed on August 11, 2023, by one Fibika Kingsley that his Lexus EX330 had been stolen at gunpoint along Agip Road by five gunmen.’’

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“The investigations led to the arrest of one Monday Igbali, aged 43, a native of Okwuzi in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State.

“He is a former police sergeant who was dismissed after being indicted in a kidnapping case in 2021.

“Since his dismissal, he has continued to parade himself as a police officer, even claiming to be an Inspector of Police, a rank he did not attain before his dismissal.

“He works with a gang of five, with four gang members still at large.

“He has robbed a total of nine cars and sold them for between N1.3m and N2.5m each. He was arrested on March 8, 2024, at his home in Chokocho, Etche, after the police conducted due surveillance following investigations.

“We have recovered three cars from him: a Lexus 330, a Lexus IS250, and a Toyota Highlander.”

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

The military has finally released Segun Olatunji, editor of FirstNews, who has been in their custody since March 15.

Olatunji was released on Thursday to Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren and The Nation Deputy Editor Yomi Odunuga under a bridge in Asokoro, Abuja.

It was also learnt that the documents for his release were signed inside a security vehicle with heavily armed operatives.

The security agents were said to be masked and the number plates of their vehicles covered up.

The editor was abducted by armed men in his home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos, on March 15.

His family members were kept in the dark on his whereabouts and why he was arrested.

Several groups, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors, almost daily mounted pressure on the government for Olatunji’s release.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute said the journalist was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

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He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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