Benue Attacks: IGP Idris vows to apprehend perpetrators

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, has vowed to fish out perpetrators of the Jan. 1 attacks on Benue villages.

The attackers invaded five villages in Guma and Logo Local Governments where they killed 73 persons and displaced 50,000 others.

The Benue government held a mass burial for the deceased on Thursday in Makurdi.

Idris, who paid a courtesy call on the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, on Thursday in Makurdi, said that security agents were already combing all corners toward apprehending the gunmen.

He called on traditional rulers to cooperate with security agencies in the efforts to restore law and order in Benue.

The Police boss said that operational numbers had been released to the general public and urged the monarch to mobilise his subjects to use them to assist the Police.

Idris condoled the Benue people over the human and material losses, and promised to ensure an end to such carnage.

In his remarks, Ayatse pledged to mobilize the Benue traditional institution to support the IGP to execute the presidential mandate of restoring permanent peace to Benue.

He commended the IGP for measures already taken to avert further crises, but urged him to do more to restore normalcy in the affected communities.

The paramount ruler also charged him to fish out the attackers and bring them to book, and advised the IGP to make phone contacts available to the 10 first class chiefs in the state.

The IGP has been given a presidential order to relocate to Benue and remain there until permanent peace was restored.