3 suspected robbers burnt in Benue

Bodies of three men suspected to be robbers were found early Friday burnt near the perimeter fence of the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi (FUAM), but police say there were lynched.

A number of sources indicate the three burnt bodies found burnt at the university gate met their waterloo during a robbery operation in the rural community close to the institution while others disputed that they were cultists on reprisal.

A student who declined to have his name in print, said there were suspicions that the deceased were students who went on a revenge mission following the Wednesday killing of a 200-level undergraduate at the Benue State University (BSU) campus in Makurdi.

But, a FUAM Public Relations Officer, Joseph Fanafa, who admitted that three bodies were found burnt beyond recognition at the new perimeter fence of the institution dismissed claims linking the deceased as either students of the university or cultists.

“No identity card was found on them or either any other form of identification because the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. We don’t know them and no student was reported missing. The incident happened at a time when ASUU was on strike and nearly every students left on their own to resume later as school authority had inform them that examinations would resume March, 23, 2020. Though the school was not closed down.

“We can’t identify them (the dead). We were called on Friday morning to the fact that burnt corpses were found beside the new perimeter fence gate. The vice chancellor of the school immediately called in the police and until police conclude investigation, we can’t say.  The truth is that no one has substantial information that they were killed as cultists or by community people,” Fanafa added.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue State Command, Catherine Anene, confirmed that two suspected robbers were lynched.

Anene also said that the police recovered two locally made pistols from the scene of incident.