Troops of Operation Whirl Strike (OPWS) have arrested 15 suspects for their involvement in crimes in Benue State.
The Commander of OPWS, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, who paraded the suspects on Tuesday before journalists at the operation’s headquarters in Makurdi, warned other criminals to stay away from the three states of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa under his watch.
Gen Igbinomwanhia said the suspects were five bandits, five rustlers, three robbers and one impersonator within the period of September 6 to October 23, 2023.
He also paraded two women from who his troops recovered arms, ammunition and illicit drugs, including meat suspected to be from a rustled cow.
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He explained that Aondover Utim, arrested in Tine-Nune village, Yakubu Seghnan (25), arrested in Jootar, and Aondover Tyokase, from Kyado village, all in Ukum LGA, were bandits terrorising the area.
He further said that following a tip-off on suspected bandits hibernating in Gidan Maishansu village in Wukari LGA of Taraba State, troops arrested Abubakar Imurana (31), Billia Dantani (31) and Ibrahim Iliya (35), and items recovered from their possession included a Dane gun, three mobile phones, eight bags of substances suspected to be hemp and the sum of N114,500.
Similarly, he said the troops arrested three suspected armed robbers, Ande Mathew (29), Tyough Peter (30) and James Abike (30) in a response to a distress call at about 8pm from Agagbe along the Naka-Makurdi road in Gwer West LGA of Benue State, and recovered one locally fabricated pistol, four 7.62mm special rounds, three mobile phones, one MC, charms and the sum of N10,150.
Gen Igbinomwanhia, who said the above were among the 15 arrested suspects, assured the people of of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states of maximum protection and continued prompt response to distress calls with a view to protecting their lives and property via 08149000091, 08090498333, 08074633336.