Benue Police Condemn Killing of MACBAN Chairman, Launch Full Investigation

By Zagazola Makama

The Benue State Police Command has condemned the killing of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state, Ardo Rabo Mohammed, and one Yakubu Isa, describing the attack as a senseless criminal act capable of undermining ongoing peace and security efforts.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet.

According to the statement, the two victims were attacked by unknown assailants while returning from a security meeting along the Okwudu-Ogoli Road in Otukpo Local Government Area.

The police commissioner expressed deep concern over the incident and extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and all those affected by the tragedy.

He assured residents that the command had commenced a full-scale investigation into the killings, adding that tactical and intelligence assets had been deployed to identify, apprehend and prosecute those responsible.

“The command will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the culprits are arrested and prosecuted,” the statement quoted the commissioner as saying.

Nwadiogbu urged members of the public to remain calm, law-abiding and avoid taking the law into their own hands or spreading unverified information capable of escalating tensions.

He also appealed to anyone with credible information that could assist the investigation to report to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency communication channels.

The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that the police would continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure those behind the killings are brought to justice.

Benue Police Condemn Killing of MACBAN Chairman, Launch Full Investigation

Suspected Looter Dies After Arrest Attempt in Borno, Illicit Drugs Recovered

By Zagazola Makama

A suspected looter who was apprehended by troops of the Nigerian Army in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State has died after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest while attempting to flee from security personnel.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 1:45 a.m. on June 25 when troops of 3 Battalion (Mechanised) under 24 Task Force Brigade, aided by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), detected suspicious movement through closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance around the Junior Quarters in Ngala.

The troops swiftly responded and apprehended a suspect allegedly involved in looting goods from a bogged-down vehicle.

According to the sources, the suspect attempted to escape while being taken into custody but suddenly collapsed during the pursuit.

He was immediately evacuated to the Ngala General Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.

A medical examination attributed the death to cardiac arrest, allegedly caused by an overdose of illicit drugs.

The sources said security personnel recovered quantities of tramadol and flurazepam from the deceased.

The incident has been reported to the Nigeria Police in Ngala for further investigation and necessary action

Suspected Looter Dies After Arrest Attempt in Borno, Illicit Drugs Recovered

KACRAN Rejects State Police, Pushes Jobs and Dialogue as Solution to Insecurity

By: Michael Mike

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has opposed the growing calls for the establishment of state police, insisting that massive job creation and sustained dialogue offer a more effective and enduring solution to the country’s worsening insecurity.

The association said creating state police forces would amount to treating the symptoms of insecurity rather than addressing its root causes, which it identified as poverty, unemployment, resource-based conflicts and social exclusion.

In a statement signed by its National President, Hon. Khalil Mohd Bello, KACRAN said extensive consultations and field engagements across the North-West and North-Central regions convinced the association that economic empowerment and community-based conflict resolution mechanisms are more sustainable pathways to peace than setting up new policing structures.

KACRAN noted that Nigeria enjoyed relative peace in earlier decades not because of the existence of state police but because traditional institutions, community structures and economic opportunities helped manage disputes before they escalated into violence.

The association warned that pastoralists could become vulnerable to victimisation in states with anti-grazing laws if state police were established. It also raised concerns that some state governments could deploy their police forces against political opponents and other citizens, thereby undermining democratic principles and civil liberties.

According to KACRAN, the financial implications of creating and maintaining state police formations would be enormous, particularly for states with limited revenue bases. It argued that scarce resources would be better spent on improving access to water, agriculture, healthcare, education and employment programmes rather than building another security bureaucracy.

The association further cautioned that establishing state police could trigger operational conflicts and rivalries between federal and state security commands, potentially complicating coordination and weakening security responses.

Pointing to the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme initiated under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, KACRAN said dialogue had previously succeeded in reducing violent conflicts and could again serve as a powerful tool for resolving contemporary security challenges if properly institutionalised.

The group also warned against weakening existing security arrangements involving the military, the Nigeria Police Force and community vigilante groups, many of which are already supported by state governments through logistics and operational assistance.

Instead of creating state police, KACRAN urged the Federal Government to embark on massive recruitment into the police, military and other security agencies to bridge manpower shortages. It also called for aggressive investments in job creation and food security programmes to prevent unemployed youths from being recruited into criminal networks.

The association further advocated empowering traditional rulers and community leaders as first responders to local disputes and integrating them into formal conflict resolution mechanisms backed by government support.

KACRAN reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Federal Government and security agencies in efforts to restore peace, protect livelihoods and preserve Nigeria’s unity.

KACRAN Rejects State Police, Pushes Jobs and Dialogue as Solution to Insecurity