From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command, on Monday said that, it has apprehended seven foreign nationals over a questionable mission to Nigeria and Benue in particular.
The State Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, disclosed this at a news conference in Makurdi, Monday
He explained that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Otukpo Police Division, received intelligence on 1st July about strange foreign lodgers at a local hotel and discovered seven Pakistanis who could not provide a credible contact person, luggage trail or explanation for their claimed electronics business.
According to him, the foreigners arrived in Nigeria separately from different countries before assembling in Lagos, a pattern typical of criminal movements, and have since been transferred to Abuja for further investigation on strong suspicion of terrorism.
He said the Command neutralised four suspected armed bandits on 2nd July during a dawn raid by Operation Zenda on a hideout at Seyoo Gbajimba in Guma local government area , recovering a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, six rounds of live ammunition, mobile phones and charms in separate operations.
According to him, on the same day, officers of B Division, Makurdi, recovered four pistols concealed inside a sealed engine oil gallon from a bus arriving from Anyigba in Kogi state after a suspect fled at the motor park.
Nwadiogbu dismissed reports of bandit roadblocks on the Makurdi-Lafia highway as false and mischievous, stating that patrol teams swept through the entire route and found travellers moving freely.
Providing an update on the assassination of Professor Gabriel Saawua Nyityo and his younger brother in Adaka community on 8th July, the CP confirmed that the command has arrested a 23-year-old principal suspect, Abdullahi Usman, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Lafia through collaboration with security agencies in Nasarawa state.
According to him, several other criminal activities were tackled at different locations leading to arrests, recovery of weapons, charms, 2 motorcycles, and drugs among others.
