Security operatives in Benue State have arrested suspects connected to the deadly attack in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area, where several people were killed and thousands displaced.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue, Emenari Ifeanyi, announced the development during a press briefing on Sunday. He, however, did not reveal the identities of the suspects.
The arrests come days after President Bola Tinubu directed the country’s service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to hunt down those responsible for the violence.
“How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu told the IGP during his visit to the state last Wednesday. He also urged the heads of intelligence and defence agencies to improve information gathering and ensure such attacks do not happen again.
The police commissioner credited the breakthrough to the support of Governor Hyacinth Alia and confirmed that security reinforcements deployed by IGP Kayode Egbetokun have now arrived in Benue and have been stationed in rural areas to boost security.
He also appealed to landlords and hotel operators to be cautious and profile tenants and guests to help prevent terrorists from hiding in the state.
The Yelwata attack, which occurred last week, was carried out by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen. It left many people dead and forced thousands to flee their homes, deepening the security challenges in the agriculturally important state.
