The Benue State Police Command has remanded 10 suspected herders in custody in connection with recent killings across the state.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, during his first media briefing held Wednesday night at the Police Officers’ Mess in Makurdi.
Emenari revealed that the suspects are among 42 individuals — including armed herders and local bandits — arrested in the last month.
He stated that many of those apprehended have already been charged to court, while others remain under investigation.
“I assumed duty on April 26, 2025, and immediately intensified efforts to address the security challenges in Benue,” the police chief said. “I visited crisis-prone areas like Ankpali (Apa), Naka (Gwer West), Ayilamo (Logo), Amafu (Katsina-Ala), Ukum, Agatu, Udei, and Yogbo in Guma Local Government Area, among others.”
According to Emenari, many farmlands in the state remain abandoned due to the violence.
In response, tactical police teams have been deployed to known flashpoints to restore security and enable residents to return to farming activities.
He said, “Our mandate is to ensure that people return safely to their communities and farms.
In the last month alone, we have arrested 42 armed suspects, and about 10 of them — identified as herders — have been remanded by the court as their trials proceed.”
The police command also recovered two AK-47 rifles and 21 locally made firearms from the suspects.
In addition to tackling herder-related violence, Emenari noted progress in the fight against cultism and kidnapping.
He said the command had reduced cult-related attacks and apprehended kidnappers operating along the Makurdi–Lafia federal highway.
Reaffirming his commitment to restoring peace in the state, the Commissioner urged residents to support the police in their efforts to secure lives and property across Benue.