Police arrest three suspects, recover rustled cattle in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
The Benue State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with a cattle rustling incident in Naka area of Gwer West Local Government Area.
Sources said the arrests followed a tip-off received at about 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Naka, from a resident, Mr Atime Iorhinja, 34, of Mbabija Nagi.
According to sources, some youths from Agagbe were sighted rustling cattle from Agabe towards Mbabija, causing tension and panic within the community.
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The DPO immediately mobilised a joint patrol team of police operatives and personnel of the OPS Restore Peace, alongside detectives, to the scene.
On arrival, one Kator Akpera, 19, of Agabe, was arrested while driving a Hiace truck loaded with a slaughtered cow suspected to have been rustled. The vehicle was impounded.
Another suspect, Tersuwe Ugbakyaa, 20, of Agagbe, was also arrested after he was found at the scene with a cow tail in his pocket.
A third suspect, Akaave Timothy, 25, of Agagbe, was identified by eyewitnesses as an accomplice in the act and was subsequently taken into custody.
“The suspects are currently in custody and investigation is ongoing,” the sources said.
The command added that precautionary security measures have been put in place in the area to forestall any form of retaliation from herders or members of the affected communities.