President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to move to Benue, to restore law and order, prevent further loss of lives and forestall the crisis from escalating.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that herdsmen on New Year day had attacked and killed 50 persons in Logo and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue.
A statement by the Force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said the order followed the recent unfortunate killings of innocent people in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the State.
Moshood said that in compliance with the presidential order, the I-G is moving with additional five Units of Police Mobile Force making a total of 10 Units deployed to the State.
“More Units of the Police Special Forces, Counter Terrorism Units, and Conventional Policemen are already being deployed to the State as at this time today to comply in totality with the Presidential order,” he said.
He said that other units of the force already deployed to the state would carry on un-relentlessly with the patrols and crime prevention activities in the affected areas to sustain the normalcy that have been restored.
The spokesman warned that the Force would not hesitate to deal decisively with trouble makers, groups or individuals for conduct likely to instigate the escalation of the crisis.
“The full weight of the law will be applied on anyone arrested for being responsible for the mayhem in the affected areas in the State,” he said.
He implored the people to cooperate with the police in its effort to restore lasting peace in the state.
“The commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure Law and order and protection of lives and property of all Nigerians throughout the country remains unequivocal and unwavering,” he said. (NAN)
