
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
The Benue State Police Command has arrested suspected gun manufacturers in Mbaafa, Kwande local government area of the state.
Similarly, the command has also arrested another gun manufacturer in Daudu, Guma local government area of the state.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday in his office at the Police headquarters in Makurdi, the Benue State Police Commissioner, Steve Yabanet informed that following an Information that criminals were manufacturing guns, a team of detectives were deployed to investigate the case when they stormed the said factory at Mbaafa and arrested one Friday Aduduakamve and Iorwashima Iornyume AKA “AK-35” both of the same address.
The Police Commissioner explained that on the spot search of the factory led to the recovery of nine fabricated pistols, one yet to be completed AK-47 rifle, two gas cylinders, one filing machine, four other machines and many other tools for fabricating rifles.
The Benue State Police boss noted that as the police detectives began intelligence gathering on criminal activities in Daudu, information was received that one Meme Ihoon 50 years was responsible for all short arms being used by kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists in Daudu.
Yabanet disclosed that during investigation, the said suspect was arrested and six (6) dane guns and three (3) long pipes used for fabricating guns were recovered from his house.
He revealed that the suspect confessed to have been producing and selling arms adding however that investigation was ongoing to arrest other criminals connected with the case.
According to the Police Commissioner, the command also arrested armed robbery suspects who attacked three brothers who embarked on a journey to Kwande for their personal business.
He said the brothers boarded a motorcycle from Obudu LGA of Cross River State to Adikpo but the cyclist decided to divert to a different destination and called his gang members to rob them, unknowing to him that one of them understood the language in which he spoke and explained to his brothers that the cyclist was planning evil against them so they ran away.
The Police boss maintained that “the cyclist and his cohorts still chased them to the bush and robbed them of the French currency (CFA franc) and naira they had. They also lynched one of the victims, one sustained grievous injuries while the other escaped. Two perpetrators one Terhemba Abugh ‘m’ and Shima Terseer ‘m’ of same address were arrested. Investigation is ongoing to arrest other suspects involved in this barbaric act.”
Speaking further, Yabanet noted that an armed robbery incident was reported on January 12, 2025 and Police Patrol team within the area moved swiftly and arrested one Aondoseer Nguetar ‘m’ of Agan North Bank Makurdi who has already confessed to the crime but investigation was ongoing to arrest other suspects at large.
The police Commissioner called on parents, religious leaders and traditional rulers to join the police in the fight against criminality as there was need to continue to train young people on cultural and religious values as he insisted that it would help to check the criminal activities.