145 arrested over farmer-herder clashes — Presidency

The police have arrested 145 suspects over recent farmersherders clashes in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states.

A presidency official disclosed this to State House correspondents yesterday.

The official, who craved anonymity, said 124 of the suspects had been charged to court with 21 others under investigation.

He said 106 suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy and inciting disturbance of public peace in Wadata, Makurdi, Benue State.

He recalled that 24 persons were on March 5 killed and 20 others feared missing following attacks by suspected herdsmen in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

He said early in the year, three suspects with Ak-47 rifles were also apprehended by the Police Intelligence Team in Benue, nine members of untrained Civilian JTF/livestock guards with prohibited firearms were arrested by the military in Arufa, a boundary town between Benue and Taraba with five AK-47 rifles.

“Similarly, 16 suspects were arrested in Gboko LGA and investigations are ongoing, while several members of armed militia and unknown gunmen were killed or apprehended by the police. Other arrests made include that of 6 suspects on January 1, 2018 following the police response to the killings in Akor Village in Guma LGA on December 31, 2017. Exhibits recovered from the suspect include 3 cutlasses, charms and other items. All the suspects were charged to court for culpable homicide.

“Concerted efforts are being made by the police to apprehend all culprits in the conflict,” a police source said. The Nigerian Police have had their fair share of attacks while trying to fish out the culprits, our correspondent gathered.