Benue kidnapping: Police arrest 7 suspects, rescue some victims

 From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

No fewer than seven suspects have been apprehended over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of some passengers in a Benue  links bus traveling to Otukpo, Otukpo local government area of Benue State.

The command police public relations officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Makurdi.

DSP Edet stated that the suspects were arrested during a coordinated joint security operation involving the police and other security agencies.

According to her, the coordinated joint security operation involving the police and other security agencies, was a targeted search-and-rescue mission in Amla Forest and adjoining areas.

Edet added that the operation also led to the rescue of some of the victims, who are currently receiving medical attention, but did not disclose the number of those rescued.

She maintained that further intelligence gathered in the course of the operation led to the arrest of seven suspects, who are currently in police custody while investigation is ongoing.

The PPRO also clarified what it described as “misinformation circulating in some news media suggesting that the victims were part of a convoy conveying students to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)”Nigerian news updates

“The Command also wishes to clarify misinformation circulating in some news media suggesting that the victims were part of a convoy conveying students to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). 

The Command states that this claim is incorrect, as the victims were not confirmed to be part of any organised UTME-bound student convoy but passengers in a Markudi bound bus.

“The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, PhD, psc, mnips, assures members of the public that the Command,

in collaboration with other security agencies, is intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining victims and ensure the full restoration of peace and security in the affected area”, the statement said.

Edet however appealed to members of the public to continue supporting security agencies by providing credible and timely information to aid ongoing operations.