IGP orders CPs to stop further attacks by suspected herdsmen 

8 Cattlemen Arrested In Benue
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in Benue and Rivers States, alongside their supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and personnel to be on red-alert with immediate effect, to prevent further attacks on innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen and other criminals.

Consequently, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations, Joshak Habila, was deployed to Benue State to coordinate implementation of the new security strategy.

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood, yesterday, in Abuja, said the IGP also ordered the deployment of additional five units of police mobile force, special forces, aerial surveillance helicopters and special joint intelligence and investigation teams to Benue and Rivers.

He said: “In Benue State, eight suspected herdsmen have been arrested by the police at the scene of the killings and are currently being prosecuted. Six of them were remanded in prison custody, while the other two suspects were arrested at different scenes of crime and are being arraigned in court.

He said the deployment to Benue and Rivers was “to bring new impetus to the efforts of the Force to nip in the bud further attacks in the mentioned states. The Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone 4 Makurdi and Zone 6 Calabar have been mandated by the Inspector General of Police to convey stakeholders’ meetings in the affected states and also supervise the police investigation and intelligence teams, and other special squads deployed by the IGP to the states.”

The FPRO said the Nigeria Police Force “deeply commiserates with the governments and people of Benue and Rivers States over the recent killings,” even as he urged support for the police personnel.