Police deploys special team and equipment to Benue, Rivers over killings
- The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, is taking serious actions over the recent killings in Benue and Rivers states
- Idris ordered a deployment of some special units and top officers of the police force to the two states
- He has also deployed various equipment to the affected areas
A day after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has announced the deployment of additional five units of the mobile force, the special forces, aerial surveillance helicopters and special police joint intelligence and investigation teams to Benue and Rivers state respectively.
IGP Idris also placed commissioners of police and its personnel in the affected states on red-alert just as he has directed a 24-hour crime prevention and visibility patrols throughout the country.
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The new order came from the IGP in a statement released by Jimoh Moshood, the force public relations officer, who said Idris ordered the commissioners of police in charge of Benue, Rivers and other contiguous units to the two states.
“To this end, the deputy inspector-general of police (Operations) has been dispatched by the IGP to Benue state to muster, coordinate and supervise the implementation of the new security strategies put in place by the force to put an immediate end to the senseless killings and violence unleashed on innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen and other criminal elements in the two States.
“Police aerial surveillance helicopters, five units of police mobile force; police special forces have been deployed along with additional conventional police personnel, the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), police Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) and special police joint intelligence and investigation teams to Benue and Rivers state to work with the police personnel on the ground…This is to bring new impetus to the efforts of the Force to nip in the bud further attacks in the mentioned states.
“In Benue state, eight suspected herdsmen arrested at the scene of the killings are currently being prosecuted; six of them were remanded to prison custody while the other two suspects arrested at a different scene of crime are being arraigned in court.
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“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 police special squads deployed by the IGP to the two states,” the statement said.
Idris commiserated with victims of the killings in the two states as well as the governments expressing hope that normalcy would return to the areas soon.
Legit.ng earlier reported how Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has accused the international oil companies operating in the state for the increase in cult activities that has seen to the death of many residents.
Wike said this in reaction to the killing of 17 people by unknown gunmen in the state on New Year Day.
The report quoted the governor as saying the oil companies in the state were awarding surveillance contracts to cultists who then use the money to buy sophisticated weapons with which they terrorise the communities and their victims.
Police parade gang leader of Badoo Cult group in Lagos - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
