The Benue State Police Command has rescued 29 kidnapped victims, arrested 34 foreign nationals for investigation over their suspeciuos activities in the state and recovered seven locally fabricated firearms during operations in October 2026.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, disclosed this Tuesday, during press briefing in Makurdi on the security situation and operational achievements of the command in the state.
Nwadiogbu, also said the command have arrested 14 suspects in connection with various crimes, neutralised one suspected bandit and recovered 16 rounds of ammunition and cartridges during the period under review.
He said 16 Cameroonian nationals were arrested in Otukpo Local Government Area and 18 Nigerien nationals were intercepted at Orokam on October 22 while reportedly travelling to Ikom in Cross River State for failure to produce the required travel documents.
He said the individuals were taken into custody for investigation and verification of their immigration status, adding that the appropriate authorities would be involved as necessary.
According to the commissioner, the suspects were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation following concerns about their circumstances of entry into Nigeria and their inability to provide satisfactory explanations about their journey.
“The achievements was recorded through intelligence-led operations, proactive patrols and collaboration with other security agencies, community stakeholders and local vigilantes.
“Throughout the period under review, the Command has sustained its efforts to combat crime, protect lives and property, and respond decisively to security threats across the State,” he said.
The Comissioner of Police said the command would sustain its operations against kidnapping, cultism, illegal possession of firearms and other criminal activities threatening public safety.
On the rescue of kidnapped victims, the Police commissioner said police personnel and other security operatives rescued four passengers abducted on October 5 after a commercial vehicle was attacked along the Uzer Village axis of Ayilamo Tse Abi Road in Logo Local Government Area.
The driver was reportedly killed during the attack, while four passengers were abducted.
“A joint search and rescue operation involving the police, Operation Whirl Stroke, the Benue State Civil Protection Guards and local hunters subsequently secured their release,” CPNwadiogbu said.
In another operation on October 7, security operatives rescued 17 farmers abducted from Tse-Acha and Tse-Wuam communities in Bamun Village, Tombo District, also in Logo Local Government Area.
The commissioner further reported the rescue of eight kidnapped victims in Ohimini Local Government Area following an incident on October 13 along the Ugbokolo–Ajegbe–Awume Road, near Ipiga Village.
The victims, including a Reverend Father and other persons returning from the market, were reportedly abducted by suspected kidnappers.
The rescued victims were taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for medical examination and necessary attention, while two suspects arrested in connection with the incident remained under investigation.
He stressed that investigations into both cases were ongoing and that further action would be guided by the findings and applicable laws.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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