Benue Massacre: 26 Arrested in Urgent Response

Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), has announced the detention of 26 individuals linked to the tragic killings of villagers in Yelewata LGA, Benue State, on June 13.

This incident ignited widespread outrage across the country, resulting in over 100 fatalities, numerous injuries, and extensive property damage valued in the millions of Naira.

President Bola Tinubu expressed his dissatisfaction with Egbetokun regarding the police’s apparent ineffectiveness in capturing those responsible for the violence in the region.

The president anticipated that law enforcement would have taken action and made arrests following the Yelewata attack.

During a press briefing in Abuja on June 24, Egbetokun revealed that the individuals taken into custody would soon face court proceedings. This includes 22 additional suspects apprehended in Jos in relation to the brutal killing of nine people en route to a wedding in Quanpan.

The IGP also noted that among the 28 individuals detained, 2 have been exonerated since they were unwittingly used as a means to capture the 26 suspected main offenders.