By Amos Aar, Makurdi
THE Benue State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 8 bandits in Katsina-Ala local government area of the state who allegedly killed four kidnapped victims and buried them in shallow graves.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Sewuese Anene, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), disclosed this on Thursday in a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
“Benue State Police Command has continued to gain victory over banditry in the state, particularly the Sankara axis. Within the last two weeks, operatives deployed to the area have been able to dislodge bandit camps, and recover arms and ammunition. Suspects have been arrested and charged to court while normalcy has been restored in various markets within Sankara area.
“Acting on intelligence, about a ten (10)-man gang of kidnap suspects who escaped from Sankara, police detectives trailed and arrested eight (8) of the suspects from Osun State and brought them back for further investigation.
“On 10th May, 2021 at about 1000hrs, these suspects opted to lead police detectives to Tavachan forest, Mbamon, Kastina-Ala local government area where they buried their slain victims. Upon arrival at the scene, a deep well and a shallow grave were found in the forest with decomposed corpses of their victims.
“Suspects confessed that some of the victims died due to inability to survive the trauma of being held hostage while others were killed for not paying the required ransom. Two of the suspects also confessed to have killed their wives for making attempt to expose their nefarious acts.
“Four corpses were exhumed for autopsy while investigation into the case is ongoing to enable the arrest of suspects at large and unravel more facts about the case,” the statement reads.
