Monday, February 9, 2026 - The Benue State Police Command has taken into custody a suspected criminal and seized a cache of 117 rounds of live ammunition in Ukum Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, disclosed that the arrest was made following
actionable intelligence regarding the movement of a male suspect identified as
Saamoga, also known as Aleki.
The suspect was allegedly conveying live ammunition from
Gbagir to Zaki-Biam on a commercial motorcycle.
Acting on the information, police operatives were swiftly
deployed to the Tse Dubem axis of Ukum LGA, where a stop-and-search operation
was conducted.
The statement noted that upon noticing the presence of
security personnel, the suspect alighted from the motorcycle and attempted to
escape.
He was, however, neutralised after being shot in the leg and
was subsequently apprehended by the operatives.
A thorough search of the suspect led to the discovery of 117
rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition hidden inside socks and tucked into his
handbag. Items such as charms and a mobile phone were also recovered during the
operation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect
allegedly confessed that the ammunition was being conveyed to Taraba State.
He was later taken to the General Hospital in Zaki-Biam for
medical attention but reportedly died while receiving treatment.
In another incident, the Command revealed that it received a
situation report on February 6, 2026, concerning an attack on Edikwu Icho
community in Apa Local Government Area by suspected armed herdsmen.
The statement added that operatives of the Rapid Response
Squad (RRS) successfully repelled the attack, restoring calm to the area, which
has since remained peaceful.
The Police further confirmed that reconstruction of the
bridge linking Ugbokpo, Idogbu, Ochumeku, and Ikobi previously destroyed by
suspected herdsmen has begun.
The project is ongoing under tight security to safeguard
construction workers and residents.
The Command appreciated the cooperation of sister security
agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Civil Protection Guard, and officials of
the Benue State Government, stressing that effective inter-agency collaboration
has played a vital role in sustaining peace and security.
Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Ifeanyi Emenari,
praised officers involved in the operations for their prompt response and
professionalism, assuring residents of the Command’s resolve to sustain
proactive and intelligence-led policing.
He also appealed to members of the public to stay calm and
continue to supply credible information that would aid security agencies in
preventing and combating crime across the state.
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