In a decisive crackdown following weeks of deadly unrest in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has announced the arrest of 53 suspects linked to coordinated attacks in Benue and Plateau States—a grim chapter that has shaken the nation and drawn widespread condemnation.
At a press briefing held at Force Headquarters in Abuja, the IGP disclosed that 26 of the suspects are directly implicated in the Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State—an attack he described as “terror-fuelled and calculated.” Armed militias stormed the community between June 13 and 23, leaving 47 people dead, 27 injured, and hundreds displaced.
“This was not a random act of violence,” Egbetokun stated. “It was a deliberate and heinous assault on innocent civilians.”
Contrary to early reports—some claiming death tolls in the hundreds—police investigations confirmed 47 fatalities, a figure more conservative than those circulated by several media outlets. While some platforms speculated on the scale of the bloodshed, the IGP emphasized the need for verified facts in reporting such tragedies.
According to the police chief, intensive operations by tactical units, Special Forces, and Intelligence Response Teams led to the capture of the suspects over several days. Recovered from the arrested individuals were two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and eight AK-47 rifles, believed to have been used during the Yelwata onslaught.
“All 26 suspects have confessed to participating in the killings,” Egbetokun revealed. He added that court arraignments are imminent as investigations near conclusion.
The Inspector General also addressed another flashpoint: the June 22 attack in Plateau State, where a mob ambushed a bus carrying passengers from Zaria. Nine were killed, three sustained injuries, and 22 others were rescued by law enforcement. So far, 22 suspects have been apprehended.
In a separate incident in Makurdi, Benue’s capital, five suspects were arrested following the June 23 killing of two truck passengers in the Agan area of North Bank.
Egbetokun issued a firm condemnation of the rising trend of mob violence and retaliatory killings, describing them as “barbaric, unlawful, and counterproductive.”
His remarks echoed growing national concern, with many Nigerians alarmed by the rapid escalation of communal and retaliatory violence in regions already strained by ethnic and religious divides.
The IGP reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to track down all perpetrators, whether masterminds or foot soldiers, behind community attacks.
His tone struck a note of resilience and determination, a marked shift from previous eras where perceived inaction often eroded public trust.
In response to the spate of attacks, reinforcements have been deployed to strategic areas in Benue and Plateau, with the police urging residents to remain calm and continue supporting ongoing investigations by sharing credible intelligence.
