Benue State Police Command said its men have decimated three hoodlums behind the ongoing unrest in Zaki-Biam in Ukum local government area of the state while others escaped with bullet wounds.
Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon who disclosed this to newsmen in Makurdi also said that the command has ordered immediate reinforcement of the men on ground by deploying two more units of mobile policemen to Ukum, in order to checkmate the activities of militiamen terrorising the area.
A policeman and three civilians were killed in the wake of the attack by the militants whom the command believed were loyalists of the wanted criminal gang leader, Terwase Akwaza alias Gana.
CP Okon in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu said, the hoodlums were killed while responding to a distress call at Shima Ayati in Zaki Biam, in an exchange of gunfire at the scene of a robbery operation.
“On 22/10/2018 at 2300 hours, the DPO Ukum Division along with teams of Policemen while responding to a distress call at Shima Ayati in Zaki Biam, were engaged in an exchange of gunfire with some hoodlums at the scene of a robbery operation.Three of the hoodlums were decimated while others evidently escaped with bullet wounds”.
He said one Beretta pistol with one round of live ammunition, cutlasses and assorted charms were recovered from them.
The Commissioner who said he and the Tactical Operation Commanders (TOCs) had visited the area in order to boost the morale of men, appealed to the general public, especially those residing around the area to report anyone seen with bullet wound(s) to the nearest police station for necessary action.