The Benue police command says it has arrested some suspected cattle rustlers who are also behind the recent farmers-herders crisis in Guma and Tarka LGAs of the state.
According to a statement on Wednesday by Anene Sewuese, police public relations officer in Benue, officers of Operation Zenda JTF while on fighting patrol on April 10 in Guma LGA arrested one Terwase Nyion — popularly known as Orjen — and four other members of the group.
Sewuese said an investigation by the command revealed that Orjen and his team have always conspired with criminal herders to rustle cattle, sell and share the proceeds.
She added that the members of the syndicate would later go back to the owners of the rustled cattle to indict farmers in the community as the perpetrators of the heist.
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“They go back to the same victims (herders) to deceive them that their cattle were rustled by farmers so as to create crises and have more opportunity to loot from innocent persons,” the statement reads.
“Items recovered from them include one locally made pistol loaded with one round of 9mm live ammunition and four cows. The suspects confessed to being a vicious syndicate made up of herders and farmers.
“On 16/4/2023 at about 1700hrs, information was received that some hoodlums had attacked herders grazing in Tarkaa Local Government Area and made away with some cattle.
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“Police detectives in the area immediately stormed their hideout and arrested the following persons: Terdoo Tyo, Meryima Dziegh, Jimeshio Dziegh, Tahar Dziegh, and Mercy Iyio who was already preparing cow meat in the kitchen.”
Meanwhile, Wale Abass, Benue commissioner of police, urged herders and farmers in the state to report cases of attack instead of taking the law into their hands
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